In a joint statement, seven university-based groups have expressed their distress by the expression of support by 222 PhD holders of the state of emergency issued by the Perikatan Nasional government.
Universiti Malaya Students’ Union (KMUM), Demokrat Universiti Malaya, Gerakan Pembebasan Akademik (GPA), Harmoni Malaysia, Angkatan Mahasiswa UM and University of Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) and one other group said the academics' support smacked of elitism with them seemingly intimating their intellectual superiority over other Malaysians on the basis of possessing a PhD qualification.
"In as much as the notion of freedom of expression is valued and held sacred by us, it is regrettable that the recent support of the 222 Pertubuhan Intelektual Negara (Pintar) PhD holders has introduced a new division in this beloved country of ours.
"A division of those with academic doctoral degrees from those with lesser or with no academic credentials whatsoever. This is indeed an alarming development in a country already torn apart along racial, economic and religious divides.
"We would like to remind every learned citizen of the important role they must play as the conscience of the nation.
"PhD holders working as academicians carry the heavy burden as bearers of the torch of hope based upon knowledge and the job of academicians is not to curry favour in exchange for promotions and career advancement," said the seven groups in an uncompromising statement.
Such support is a continuation in increased numbers of those engaging in sycophancy which began in March 2020 (when the current government took over), they said.
The statement was signed by KMUM president Muhammad Haziq Azfar, Demokrat Universiti Malaya coordinator Farhan Amran, Umany president Yap Wen Qing, GPA chairperson Nik Azura Nik Nasron, Persatuan Belia Harmoni Malaysia president Usaid Asmadi and Angkatan Mahasiswa UM chairperson Wan Afiq Ikhwan Wan Alias.
Three days ago, Pintar president Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor said its 222 PhD scholars were in full support of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s wisdom in giving his consent to the cabinet’s proposal to declare a state of emergency.
“We highly commend the decision of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to agree to the government’s decision to form an independent committee comprising government and opposition MPs, health experts and other related experts, as well as giving the independent committee the discretion to recommend to the king if the emergency declaration can be concluded much earlier than the period ending on Aug 1,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 12).
Mohd Roslan also urged all parties not to question the decision as the spread of Covid-19 in this country was at a critical level and that there was a need for an emergency based on Article 150(1) of the Federal Constitution.
The student groups said they found these views alarming.
"During a state of emergency, Parliament is not allowed to convene. The academics should therefore instead produce feasible solutions on how best to propel the economy further during this emergency, i.e. be the brains for the various possible solutions to protect our vulnerable population and help to rebuild our beloved nation.
"Therefore, the issue should not revolve around the next general election. In fact, academicians should be advocating for the people of the country and not the nation's politicians," they said.
"The issue should be how do we save our beloved country from the scourge of Covid-19 with the least disruption to the lives of the most hard-hit amongst the citizens of Malaysia."
The groups urged all academicians to do their jobs as effectively as possible and refrain from further ambiguous activities that would further mar the country's reputation globally.
"Let us all work together, hand in hand across all divides, to find solutions beneficial to everyone," they concluded. - Mkini
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