Sharifah should learn to swim first’

A Gerakan youth leader said SW1M chief Sharifah Zohra should undergo proper training before she conducts any other forum.

GEORGE TOWN: A Gerakan youth leader hit out at Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) chief Sharifah Zohra Jabeen for being “cocky, arrogant and unprofessional” during a post-graduate forum on students and politics held at Universiti Utara Malaysia on Dec 8, 2012.

Gerakan youth national education bureau deputy chief Baljit Singh called on the SW1M president to undergo proper training on professional public conduct before she can even think about reappearing in any forum.

“This is my brotherly advice to her. She must learn swimming first before diving into the pool.

“She should not even think about it without any training,” said Baljit in a statement here today.

He rapped Sharifah for humiliating law student KS Bawani before other students, undermining her intelligence, insulting her level of education and comparing the student’s views with animal rights.

He said Sharifah was unprofessional in abruptly stopping UUM under-graduate Bawani from speaking freely on free education.

He said Sharifah was rude in snatching the microphone from Bawani and was very cocky in repeating the words “listen” and “I speak.”

He also chided Sharifah’s contemptuous arrogance for dismissing a forum panelist request to speak a few words.

“Obviously Sharifah was never qualified to conduct such forum.

“She needs to attend first basic then intensive training before she can re-appear on stage,” said Baljit, a lawyer .

He also urged the management of public universities to only invite qualified and capable people as panelists, master of ceremony or speakers at forums and conferences held at the campus.

He said universities should cancel such events if no suitable and qualified persons were available.

Besides being cocky and arrogant, he rebuked Sharifah of also being unable to handle questions from the floor.

He said one shall not make a mockery of freedom of expression and critical thinking, especially when the objective was to engage students to freely express their views and analyze situations.

“We should not use our position to suppress others as it is tantamount to bully and abuse of power,” Baljit said.