UNIVERSITI Malaya (UM) remains “feudalistic” and has failed to develop intellectual discourse, a former student activist who is facing trial for protesting against a vice-chancellor during his convocation three years ago said.

Wong Yan Ke, who infamously held up a placard accusing the UM vice-chancellor of racism when he went on stage to receive his scroll in 2019, was yesterday ordered by the court to enter his defence on a charge of intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.

A magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur found that the prosecution had a prima facie case under section 504 of the penal code after producing 13 witnesses.

Wong, who is formerly chair of the UM Association of New Youth (Umany) was ordered to enter his defence over his protest against former UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim.

The engineering student had shouted on stage calling for Rahim’s resignation and later said his protest was over the then vice-chancellor’s role in the Malay Dignity Congress that year where Malay supremacy or “ketuanan Melayu” was affirmed.

Wong’s defence has been fixed for July 4-7. Before that, his lawyers have to submit their witness list to the court on May 17.

In a statement to respond to the court’s order, Wong said he was honestly disappointed.

“All animals are equal but some are more equal than others,” he said, quoting Animal Farm by George Orwell.

“A vice-chancellor, who abused the name of Universiti Malaya to hold a Malay Dignity Congress and deliver a racist speech at the congress, is still free from being held accountable by students and lecturers.”

He said the UM leadership had failed to reflect on “how damaging their words and actions are to a pluralistic society”.

“I believe this is an inherent structural problem. As Malaysia’s first college, Universiti Malaya still maintains the feudal system. Not only does it fail to lead intellectual discourse, it in fact allows society to remain ignorant and distorts the value of freedom and equality to maintain the status quo, which protects the interests for those in power.”

Rahim’s speech at the Malay Dignity Congress on October 6, 2019, reportedly blamed the change of government in 2018 for prompting the loss of Malay political dominance and privileges.

At the UM convocation on October 14 that year, Wong went on stage to receive his scroll demanding Rahim’s resignation and for racism to be rejected. 

He also unfurled a handwritten poster which stated five reasons why Rahim should resign, including being a “political puppet”, infringing on academic freedom, promoting racism and hatred, and failing to solve UM’s financial problems.

Wong said as a prosecution witness, Rahim had “proudly” told the court that he had instructed the university to lodge a police report against Wong and asserted that “different ethnic groups should have unequal political rights”.

The ex-student, who now works with human rights group Suaram, said he would continue to fight for his right to freedom of expression, even though the trial had been “a waste of time and energy”.

He also gave an account of how funds raised for him had been spent, stating that of the RM20,000 raised by Umany, RM4,000 had been spent on bail, RM10,000 to compensate his lawyers for providing legal aid, while the balance of some RM6,000 would be used to cover legal fees. – April 6, 2022.