Teresa Kok calls UM a laughing stock for banning Anwar event

Universiti Malaya (UM)'s move to ban a student event with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has made it a laughing stock, said DAP lawmaker Teresa Kok.

Malaysia's top university had made a "most illogical decision", the Seputeh MP said, and its reasons for barring Anwar from entering its grounds to speak were unacceptable and unreasonable.

"Anwar Ibrahim is an elected representative and the opposition leader of Malaysian parliament. He is free to speak at ceramahs and talks throughout the country.

"He has been invited to speak at foreign universities. What valid and acceptable grounds can there be for the University administration to ban Anwar Ibrahim from giving the talk?" Kok (pic) said in a statement today.

"That Anwar can cause public order a problem? Certainly this is not an issue as he has been traveling and speaking throughout the nation without any public order issue.

"That Anwar is a politically controversial speaker? This cannot not be a reason to ban him as university is a place where controversial views should be heard, debated, challenged.

"That Anwar will give biased views against the government? This reason too cannot be accepted as other clubs in the university can always invite government leaders to give counter talks if they so wish."

Anwar was invited by the Universiti Malaya Undergraduates Association (PMUM) to speak on Monday night at its event called "40 years: from University of Malaya to prison”, which the UM administration has declared illegal.

The programme was a gathering of solidarity ahead of Anwar's appeal at the federal court over his second sodomy case on October 28 and 29.

PMUM leader Fahmi Zainol, who organised the event and invited the opposition leader, is now facing possible suspension and a fine by the university if the programme goes ahead.

UM's vice-chancellor of student affairs Professor Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof was reported as saying that UM would never allow or support such a programme as it was against the university rules and had tarnished its reputation.

Kok said such an excuse to ban an opposition leader would be unimaginable in any university in the United States, Australia and the UK, which were practicing, vibrant democracies.

"How could inviting the nation’s federal opposition leader tarnish the university’s reputation? This must be really a ridiculous reason.

"On the contrary, allowing the talk to go on as scheduled will enhance the university’s reputation as it will reflect its readiness to respect the students’ council leadership’s right to invite speakers whom they wish to listen to."

She urged UM to reconsider its decision to ban Anwar's programme to avoid "international embarrassment" to the nation and the government.

"Unless it rescinds its decision to ban the talk, UM will become a laughing stock among the international academic community and its reputation will certainly be affected.

"Negative international news will also be an international embarrassment for the federal government and the nation."

- TMI