A group of students performed a small concert outside the Higher Education Ministry’s (MOHE) headquarters in Putrajaya today to oppose its proposed guidelines for performances in institutions of higher learning.
The group of about 40 university students was there this morning to hand over a memorandum regarding their objections to their guidelines.
Before submitting the memorandum, however, two male students wearing shorts - Tunku Abdul Rahman University students Terrance Soo and Kelvin Kee Ming Ern - led the group to sing ‘Saya Anak Malaysia’ outside the ministry’s office.
The guidelines prohibit male performers from wearing shorts.
“The purpose of the concert is to demonstrate the absurdity of MOHE’s guidelines,” said National Union of New Student Movement Alliance of Malaysia (Nesa) secretary-general Yong Jian Ann, whose group initiated the memorandum.
“Because even if we are wearing shorts, earrings, necklaces, or even physical contact between men and women, it cannot stop our love for our country,” he said.
Yong said the students originally wanted to send six representatives to submit the memorandum, each from a different institution of higher learning.
However, only two representatives were allowed to enter the premises.
He expressed bafflement towards the restriction.
“If the government claims to be a liberal and progressive government, then we don’t understand why they need to block so many student representatives from different universities and organisations from entering,” he said.
Three demands in memorandum
The memorandum was ultimately submitted by Yong and University of Malaya Student Union opposition leader Dhurgesswaran Veeran.
MOHE’s holistic student division assistant director-general Nurul Aida Mohd Nordin received it on the ministry’s behalf.
The memorandum contains three demands:
1. The ‘Guidelines for Entertainment Activities (Concerts) in Higher Education Institutions’ should be withdrawn immediately.
2. Public and private university students should be consulted before implementing any policies regarding student affairs.
3. The MOHE must expedite educational reforms and abolish the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA).
This memorandum was signed by about 120 groups and individuals.
Previously, the MOHE said the guidelines are merely recommendations and “reference” materials, and that higher education institutions will have to draw up their own rules after engaging student representatives.
Its minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin also said the document is a draft and he has not approved it.
‘Frogs slowly being boiled’
However, Dhurgesswaran said he believes the ministry is testing the waters to see how students react to the guidelines. If it is tacitly accepted, then more conservative agendas would be implemented in the future.
“If we acquiesce to the MOHE’s actions, we will continue to be like frogs slowly being boiled alive.
“More conservative guidelines are sure to follow, and it will severely curtail student freedoms and allow unfettered encroachment of conservative ideologies on campus,” he said.
Dhurgesswaran also said the ministry’s assertion that the document is for “reference” only proves Khaled’s earlier claim he has “yet to approve” it was a lie.
“This set of guidelines severely restricts students’ rights and freedoms. From segregating seating by gender to dress codes, it not only infringes on students’ personal freedoms but also deprives students of their right to enjoy arts and culture,” he said.
Meanwhile, DAP Youth varsity affairs director Ho Chi Yang criticised the MOHE for failing to ensure university autonomy and student self-governance.
Ho, who is the Tanah Rata assemblyperson, told reporters at the event that the guidelines show that true student empowerment cannot be achieved as long as the UUCA is not repealed.
“This actually shows that as long as the UUCA still exists, as long as this bad legislation exists, there is no real campus autonomy and student autonomy.”
Universiti Utara Malaysia Student Progressive Front president Yow Jun Yu urged the MOHE to focus its time and energy on maintaining ageing university facilities instead of drafting the guidelines, to prevent untoward incidents like what happened in the university before.
On May 21, 2022, a second-year student majoring in accounting and information systems, Vinosiny Sivakumar, 20, died in what appeared to be an electrocution accident in her dormitory.
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