Academic schools Akmal on the term 'apartheid'

A university professor has schooled Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh on the meaning of the word “apartheid” after the latter took exception to a Malaysiakini columnist describing Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) as an “apartheid academy”.

Citing the Cambridge Dictionary, Tajuddin Rasdi pointed out that while the word “apartheid” originated from the Afrikaans word for South Africa’s system of institutionalised racism, the word is also used in the English language to refer to discriminatory policies more generally.

He also pointed to examples of the word being used in news reports in the UK and the US to talk about the discrimination that has nothing to do with the policy formerly practised by South Africa.

“We have to see in what context the word ‘apartheid’ is used and not extend beyond the context he used.

“When someone uses a word, it has a specific meaning.

“But when we add to it and make assumptions about the word, then it becomes something big,” he said in a 19-minute video he posted on his YouTube channel last night.

‘Insolent and hurtful’

Tajuddin is a professor of Islamic architecture at UCSI University, in Kuala Lumpur.

In his column published on Wednesday, the columnist Andrew Sia wrote about the parallel pathway issue and UiTM’s refusal to open its doors temporarily to non-bumiputera to address a shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons.

Akmal (above) panned Sia’s description of UiTM as an “apartheid academy” as insolent and hurtful, as the institution was only meant for the bumiputera to catch up in education and not step on anyone.

“The government, where the majority of its people are the Malays, have not only allowed (the other races) to have their tanah asal (place of origin) education through SJKC and SJKT but also supported them by providing financial allocation.

“So, who is the one that has been dividing us through education? But even then, we have accepted it because we understand the importance of preserving cultures,” he said in a statement.

Tajuddin Rasdi

He also demanded Sia apologise for writing the article and for Malaysiakini to take it down from its website. He said Umno Youth is also mobilising its members to lodge police reports about it.

In an accompanying video, Akmal also said if Malaysia practises apartheid, Sia and his family would not even receive an education.

However, Tajuddin countered that Sia’s use of the word “apartheid” referred specifically to UiTM alone and not another other issue outside its campuses. Thus, Akmal’s video has gone beyond what is written in Sia’s article.

“To me, the use of the word ‘apartheid’ in Sia’s article only refers to one form of discrimination in UiTM alone.

“And that is very unambiguous. UiTM does discriminate in the sense that non-bumiputera cannot have the benefit of being educated at UiTM,” he added. - Mkini