ACADEMICS have described the attack by supporters of former prime minister Najib Razak on six Universiti Malaya students yesterday as “outright stupid, cowardly and racist”.

Demanding a stop to such thuggery and racially charged actions, the Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak) said it not only strongly condemned the attack on “students exercising their constitutional rights to assembly and the expression of their views on the former prime minister” but also Najib’s “racist hooligans” who portrayed the criticism of their boss as “menghina orang Melayu” (insulting the Malays).

“This we condemn as outright stupid, cowardly and racist. The students were clearly and only criticising Najib,” Gerak said in a statement today.

“By no stretch of any normal person’s imagination could this be construed as ‘insulting the Malays’.

“They were expressing their disapproval of a man who himself could be construed as having insulted his race, religion and country.”

The academics also called on the authorities not to detain and further harass the “innocent party” – the students – but to take swift action against the “real wrongdoers” – those who manhandled and verbally abused the UM students.

“We also call upon Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik, and the entire academic fraternity to show solidarity with the six UM students.

“We should not allow any form of thuggery and racism to undermine our academic freedom and constitutional rights,” it said.

The education minister yesterday stood by the students whereby he told them to must remain steadfast and continue their fight against corruption.

“To the students, jangan malu (do not feel ashamed). There are some responsibilities that we need to shoulder for society.

“We must move forward. We have to fight the corrupt and uphold truth,” he said in a statement.

Maszlee was referring to the altercation between the UM students and Najib loyalists.

The students were protesting against Najib near a restaurant outside the UM main campus where he was holding a meet-and-greet session.

The six held a silent protest with placards condemning Najib when they were confronted by a group led by Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam. One of the six was assaulted. – March 23, 2019.