Wednesday, November 28, 2007

UPM blatantly ignores Human Rights Commission's request

Despite intervention of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), UPM has suspended 21-year-old Lee Song Yong on for refusing to allow a security guard to inspect his bag in August.

From Lim Kit Siang's blog:

On Aug 22, Lee was stopped by security guards at the university's exit and his notebook was seized on grounds that he was being investigated for being a member of an illegal student organisation.

Lee initially refused to cooperate because the campus officers were not in their uniforms which led to the university accusing him of obstructing its officers from executing their duty.

In the background was the unfair and one-sided rigging of campus student elections, orchestrated by the university student affairs department in cahoots with the campus security personnel.

Should such a minor and trivial matter result in the empanelling of a disciplinary proceeding, where Lee was denied legal representation, leading to his university suspension for six months? Or even the arrogant and contemptuous dismissal of the Suhakam appeal for a suspension of the disciplinary proceedings?

One would have thought from the university's response that Lee was guilty of some heinous crime, like being a member of some militant terrorist student outfit planning to throw bombs in the campus – when it was nothing of the sort whatsoever.

Lee's guilt was being too idealistic and independent-minded in wanting to work for change in the university to foster student activism and academic freedom.

Lim Kit Siang proceeded to slam UPM, Malaysian universities and the Higher Education Minister, stating:

"Malaysian students lack a questioning culture and are too passive – which are not the qualities to propel Malaysia to become a dynamic and responsive knowledge-based innovative economy in the era of IT and globalization.

"Clearly Lee does not fit into this unquestioning, unthinking student mould which was the lament of the IAP, and such students like Lee should be tapped and encouraged instead of being penalized to kill their independent spirits, which will only drive more students to become zombies."

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