UM grad defends convocation protest against VC’s ‘racism’

Alfian Z.M. Tahir Alfian Z.M. Tahir Updated 4 years ago · Published on 16 Oct 2019 7:00AM · 6 Comments

Wong Yan Ke is facing possible police investigation after his convocation protest against Universiti Malaya vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim. – Facebook pic, October 16, 2019.

WONG Yan Ke said he was making a stand against racism when he received his graduation scroll and flashed a placard asking Universiti Malaya’s vice-chancellor to resign at the convocation ceremony last weekend.

The 23-year-old civil engineering graduate said it was a flash mob protest in front of UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim, who was caught in a racism row recently.

“I did that to tell him he was wrong and that he should not have made such comments,” Wong told The Malaysian Insight about Rahim’s remarks during the Malay Dignity Congress on October 6, which he described as uncalled for.

“His remarks on race and religion in the speech were very unbecoming of him. Furthermore, he is a respected figure at a well-known university.”

At the congress, Rahim allegedly said the change in government after the 14th general election had eliminated Malay political dominance and asserted that Malay privileges were being questioned.

Rahim was also alleged to have warned others not to challenge the social contract.

Wong, a student activist from Bukit Mertajam, also denied being rude to Perak ruler, Sultan Nazrin Shah, adding that the monarch was absent during the incident.

“Many have accused me of being rude and disrespectful to the sultan but he was not there.

“I got my scroll from Ramli Ngah Talib,” Wong said.

“I did not interrupt the ceremony. Right after I received my scroll, I walked to the front where the vice-chancellor was sitting, just took out a placard and demanded his resignation.

“It took less than 30 seconds and I walked down the stage immediately after that.”

It was reported that Wong, upon receiving his scroll, yelled: “Tolak rasis. Undur VC. Ini Tanah Malaysia (Reject racists. Remove VC. This is Malaysia)”, while holding up a placard which listed several reasons Rahim should resign.

A short clip of Wong’s protest on stage at the convocation is being widely shared on Facebook, while there is also an online petition urging that his bachelor’s degree be retracted.

Wong said he explained to his family what had happened at the convocation and they understood why he did what he did.

UM has lodged a police report against Wong, accusing him of not showing any respect for the convocation ceremony and disrupting protocol.

“His actions at an official event in public, before the chancellor, before parents and graduates, were rude and cannot be condoned at all.

“We submit to the authorities to investigate and take appropriate action,” the university said in a statement.

Wong confirmed that he will be questioned at the Brickfields district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

In March, Wong was involved in a controversy when he was manhandled by supporters of Najib Razak when the former prime minister held a forum with UM students.

Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam and three others were charged with two counts of assaulting Wong, who staged a protest across the road from a restaurant near the UM entrance, where Najib was speaking. – October 16, 2019.

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Comments

  • UM is employing bullying tactics to silent the critics by lodging unnecessary police report.
    Tell us which law has Wong broken?
    Instead of confronting the issue intelligently the 'sekolah kampong' chose to
    harass the critics by hiding behind the back of the police.
    This is totally unacceptable.

    Posted 4 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • wong. you are a malaysian hero. rakyat would watch the govt next move.

    Posted 4 years ago by . . · Reply

  • Well done young man!!

    Posted 4 years ago by J w · Reply

  • Bravo wong....This VC is insulting all Malaysians playing up racial sentiment especially UM is belongs to all Malaysian. Maybe he should resign to join Mara.

    Posted 4 years ago by Wei Kuan Tan · Reply

  • The police can't and won't take action. It's one thing to concoct a story of LTTE terrorism (which no one believes anyway) but it's a different kettle of fish to persecute a young man for protesting against a racist rabble-rouser. Already the reputation of the police force is in the gutter. I'm sure they don't want it to go to the level of the sewer, where UM's standing is now.

    Posted 4 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • This student has completed his studies and leaving the Univeristy already but he wants to right the wrong of the University so the students after him wont have to suffer under this racist VC. He could have just walked away and never look back but he didnt. Therefore this student deserve my utmost respect and I wish him all the best and great success in his future undertakings.

    Posted 4 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply