Anwar trespassed on private property, says Muhyiddin on UM talk

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin says action is being taken by the Universiti Malaya administration against trespassers following a talk last week by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Zhafri Azmi, October 30, 2014.

University grounds are considered private property and nobody can enter without authorisation, Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

As such, action is being taken by the Universiti Malaya administration against trespassers following Monday night's  incident on the campus.

The deputy prime minister also said the actions of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters in entering campus grounds was an offence.

"The university grounds are private property, so anyone who enters the premises without authorisation is committing an offence.

"Furthermore, based on what I have seen from media pictures, violence was used to gain entry into the university grounds,” Muhyiddin told reporters after attending a programme in Bukit Kiara.

On Monday night, undergraduates had ignored an order by the Universiti Malaya administration banning the programme, entitled "40 years: from UM to prison", and forced open the university’s Kuala Lumpur main gates.

The event had been declared illegal by UM deputy vice-chancellor of student affairs Professor Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof.

However, Universiti Malaya Undergraduates Association (PMUM), which had organised the programme, insisted on continuing with it.

PMUM president Fahmi Zainol had even challenged the UM administration to expel him, saying UM had been built with public funds and everyone was entitled to enter the campus.

Muhyiddin said he had been briefed by the university's administration on the actions that would be taken following the Monday night intrusion.

"I leave it to the university authorities to decide what action they will be taking," he said.

He also denied that Putrajaya had interferred with the administration of UM as claimed by certain quarters including Anwar.

"The ministry has never interfered in the administration of public universities," he said.

He said the university authorities have lodged a police report over the incident.

- TMI