Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

A MEETING was scheduled to be held last Wednesday between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Higher Education Ministry officials to discuss the so-called appropriate flexibility on how concerts on campus should be run.

The outcome of that meeting, if it did materialise, is yet to be known.

This matter came about when a university student raised a concern to Anwar recently about male and female students being seen standing closely next to each other during a musical concert in a public university in Terengganu.

At a town hall gathering with Anwar in Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Bachok, the Malay-Muslim student implied that such an event, which had become a subject of intense criticism on social media, would need to be scrutinised to prevent “unfortunate incidents’’.

While one can appreciate the prime minister for being attentive to the student’s gripe, one might wonder as to why Anwar would want to delve into such a seemingly mundane issue when he has other more important matters to attend to, such as the national economy and high cost of living confronting ordinary Malaysians.

Surely, Higher Education Ministry officials or the public universities themselves could be entrusted to address the student’s concern and other related issues.

A possible explanation is that Anwar might feel compelled to be attentive to and tread carefully with the concerns of the student and his ilk who wear their religiosity on their sleeves. Hence, the “appropriate flexibility” that is needed to organise a concert.  

Bear in mind that the campus, on which the town hall gathering was held, is situated in the political stronghold of PAS, the Islamist party that is not averse to the mantra of race and religion.

Furthermore, Anwar’s action should be seen in light of opposition Perikatan Nasional that is said to be riding high on its “green wave” particularly in the Malay heartland. The state elections are just around the corner to boot.

The student’s remark also suggests that religious conservatism has prevailed on certain campuses in the country over the years.

That is why holding concerts may be considered an initiative that could bring about “unfortunate incidents” if official scrutiny is not put in place.  

But whatever the reason for Anwar’s intervention is, we hope that “scrutiny” does not necessitate restrictive measures to the point of treating university students like kids. Not that students have not been treated like that in the past.

It is disturbing, though, to think that the whole idea of holding a concert could possibly be constrained by political pressures and expediency.

We should also be mindful that such restrictions can be made possible with the existence of the controversial Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, which the present government is not inclined to repeal.

Under normal circumstances, you are expected to let your hair down at a concert. Clap your hands and stomp your feet to the music or sing along if you like.

The fun can be shared by mixed groups of students and among friends. There’s no prescribed form of enjoyment.

Such enjoyment should not be automatically assumed to lead to promiscuity and unwanted pregnancies.

Concerts, like other forms of entertainment, provide a mental release from the humdrum life of doing course assignments and going to classes.

To reiterate, students should have the freedom to express, decide and behave as responsible adults. Holding their hands like children most of the time is not part of a character-building process.

Incidentally, it would be beneficial for some students to take part in helping to organise a concert, as it would instil in them a sense of responsibility and pride.

In the meantime, we’ll have to wait and see where the line – or the “appropriate flexibility” – is drawn as the music is played. – June 23, 2023.