Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

IT appears like a throwback to the bad old days when student activities were strictly controlled by university authorities, largely thanks to the application of the Universities and University Colleges Act.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) thumbed its nose at the notion of freedom of expression among students – and apparently disregarding the Madani Malaysia concept in the process – when it called off a dialogue session between certain panellists (including Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman) and its students. This session was supposed to be held on university grounds.

The dialogue on “Interns are not forced labour” had to be cancelled in order “to maintain harmony within the campus,” insisted the UiTM administration.

The excuse for the cancellation boggles the mind as such a topic is not quite earth-shattering. In fact, it is important because it would touch on the issue of justice, as there may be a need to assess whether unpaid or underpaid internships could be considered a form of exploitation.

Besides, it is not as if Saddiq was geared to debate controversial questions, such as why UiTM is monoethnic in terms of its policy and structure – although it could make for an interesting conversation.

However, it was revealed that UiTM had subsequently agreed to reschedule the event after Ramadan if the organiser invited other panellists to ensure a more balanced discussion.

The dialogue was organised by Muda affiliate Ikatan Mahasiswa Demokratik Malaysia.

In a statement, UiTM earlier informed its students that they are free to participate in any politically related activities on or off campus as long as they are approved by the university. 

Indeed, the catch here is, if the university authorities endorse it based on their criteria and possibly ideological bent.

This unfortunate incident should ring a bell to students, activists, and those who value academic freedom and freedom of expression, particularly Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as well as Fahmi Zainol, who is now an active PKR member.

Both prominent individuals were entangled in a controversy in October 2014 where then opposition leader Anwar was initially barred from entering his alma mater, Universiti Malaya (UM), to deliver a talk “Anwar Ibrahim: 40 Years from UM to Jail”.

This talk was organised by the university’s students’ union, whose president was Fahmi.

The university administration had earlier cut power to the area around the venue, which was the Dewan Tuanku Chancellor, under the pretext of maintenance.

Incidentally, this situation had uncanny similarities with the UiTM incident.

A notice posted on the gates of Kolej Melati, a residential college in the university’s campus, cautioned that it would be closed from 9pm to 6am due to technical issues.

The dialogue session was scheduled to start at 10pm

Back to the UM case: Anwar, nonetheless, managed to speak into a microphone from the back of a truck parked across the road from Dewan Tunku Canselor, where the streetlights were still switched on.

This was after some students, who were concerned about the talk, braved the evening downpour and helped open the university gates for him. 

Such were the adversities stacked against him at the time. 

To be sure, Anwar was not the only one who had faced a variety of challenges in the attempt to have access to local universities. 

Political satirists Fahmi Reza and Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, known by his pen name Zunar, have also had a fair share of difficulties, particularly during the “sensitive” years of the Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Najib Razak administrations.

The two creative individuals, as well as other activists and politicians should not have to still endure the hardships of accessing public universities to engage in talks and dialogues now that the unity government led by Anwar is in the driver’s seat.

Incidents such as that at UiTM also indicate that the call for the repeal of the Universities and University Colleges Act has relevance if we want to see our future generations exposed to talks and forums that are intellectually stimulating, and if providing world-class education is the objective of our public universities.

Locking the gates is neither a solution nor an intellectual exercise. – April 1, 2023.