BY: ASHRAFF NAZRIN
Since yesterday, November 15, 2016, 3 scholars have been punished by draconian Acts restricting the people’s right to freedom of speech, and for commenting on issues related to the country’s leadership.
On November 9, a lecturer of a private University in Malaysia was remanded for exposing the Sabah government’s misconduct, under the leadership of Barisan Nasional.
Brother Jufazli was remanded 7 days for merely writing about the issues on his Facebook page.
The intimidation of scholars continues on in the Malaysian International Islamic University (UIAM) when I was handcuffed roughly and detained last Friday for merely promoting the Bersih assembly, which in fact, is a legal assembly under the Malaysian Constitution.
This detention is a violation of the right to speak, as I was detained as soon as I uttered the word “Assalamualaikum” in greeting.
The latest case was yesterday’s case of brother Asheeq Ali being suspended for one semester and fined RM200, by the administration of the National University of Malaysia (UKM) for participating in the Tangkap MO1 gathering in August.
These actions confuse us: what exactly then is the function of intellects in our country?
Although the University and University College Act (AUKU) was amended in 2012 with provisions made for students to engage in politics outside of the campus, those who are critical of government policies are still being punished.
If their cases are not turned into Police cases, they will still be punished via the AUKU of their respective Universities.
I would like to ask: what is the role of a scholar in the eyes of the BN Government? If their roles as future leaders are as important as often portrayed, where then is the guarantee that the government will not punish those who present critical ideas against policies of BN leadership?
After these last 3 incidents, I urge for the AUKU to be revoked as it clearly inhibits the role of scholars to voice ideas which contradict the government’s vision, although the very ideas may be good for all Malaysian citizens.
If the Government still fails to guarantee us our freedom of speech and to revoke the AUKU, I suggest that the BN administration under Dato’ Seri Najib Razak shut-down all universities in Malaysia, and hence establish only one, being the Umno University. This would ensure that the roles of scholars, produced by public universities, are not made redundant.
Intellects of the Umno University need only express how good Government policies are, and will call on all citizens to have unquestionable faith, in spite of exposed scandals and corruptions.
* Ashraff Nazrin is a Gabungan Tangkap MO1 Student Activist
Shut-down public universities, open Umno University
