VOXPOP 'The only way out for this country is for educated Malays to voice their disapproval on many issues which are being manipulated by unscrupulous politicians.'

Academicians moot freedom march to Putrajaya

vox populi small thumbnailBender: Our academics have been living up the 'carma' (cari makan) principle for such a long time that they have lost their will to support Universiti Islam Antarabangsa professor Abdul Aziz Bari. The fear of jeopardising their own rice pot is just too great.

We can expect the higher up they are on the ladder, the more reserved they are in voicing out or showing any kind of support. That is why we cannot rely on the National Professors Council (NPC) to support even one of their own.

Those on the NPC are on the very tip of the ladder, the top of the food chain so to speak, so it is understandable if they're willing to sacrifice their colleague in order to protect their massive rice pots.

It's a shame that only 60 out of a workforce of 2,000 UIA academics are ready to stick their neck out, but this is to be expected if the above hypothesis is correct.

Jbsuara: The society at large is expecting the academicians in higher institution to speak their mind on current issues affecting the community, but the majority of academicians has chosen to remain silent or remain detach from them for far too long.

Senior academicians are the intellectual cream of the society, hence their opinions are valued by the laypersons on the street.

Please take the cue from your Western colleagues, who regularly and boldly speak out on political and social issues of the day.

Amirul Shah: The only way out for this country is for educated Malays to voice their disapproval on many issues which are being manipulated by unscrupulous politicians.

The judiciary, police brutality, bias news media, lack of freedom of expression and the reversal of the PPSMI (Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English) are the main ones.

Anonimous Z: The genuine and true academicians are supposed to be the creme de la creme of the society.

They are the most learned who should know what the best course of action they should take against injustices, especially when their or the people's legitimate right is abused.

They should be leading by example, standing in front of the crowd, rather than letting the less learned people be their leaders.

Preach no more. Act now.

Swipenter: Academicians, please request your students to join you in the ‘freedom march to Putrajaya'.

If you are gagged, naturally your students would be gagged too. If you encourage and teach them to think independently and critically, they would become free and independent thinkers capable to judge for themselves what is right and what is wrong.

Our university students would come out and graduate according to the mold. Right now, they are graduating like robots because there is no freedom of thought and independent critical thinking inculcated in them from the very beginning of their education.

They are brainwashed to conform to the wishes and thinking of the ruling politicians. Even after graduating, many are still subjected to refresher courses in brainwashing by the BTN (Biro Tatanegara).

Anonymous: May we join you, too?


Nazri: Hiring of FBC Media broke no laws

Kim Quek: Paying hundreds of millions of public funds to mercenary propagandists to spruce up the tattered image of heavily tainted leaders is a crime against the people, who have long been struggling to make ends meet.

Such acts of false propaganda is unethical and shameful, otherwise, why should BBC have abruptly suspended all programming from FBC (Fact-Based Communications), which has also being subjected to investigations by UK authorities as well as US media such as CNBC, the moment FBC's questionable relationship with the Malaysian government was discovered?

The specialties of these public relations firms are imaging-polishing for corrupt autocracies such as Zimbabwe and Kazakhstan, and by engaging them, Malaysia is practically telling the world it belongs to this category.

Both PM Najib Razak and CM Taib Mahmud should be ashamed of themselves for having splurged the people's hard-earned money for their own face-lifts, for which they must be made properly accountable in Parliament.

Kleo: With FBC facing legal action and bankruptcy, BN still dares to justify having employed its ethically questionable services? They are so rotten in Putrajaya that they can't even smell their own stench.

MatrixLYN: Minister in PM's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz, please define the yardstick and measurement for your "succeeded in forging closer ties between Malaysia and western nations" in more details and calculable benefits and prospect.

Clearwater: Stealing a loaf of bread to feed your neighbour's hungry child is illegal but hardly immoral. Throwing away a loaf of bread that could feed your neighbour's hungry child breaks no laws, but would be considered immoral.
Nazri, can you discern the difference? The government engaging FBC Media at such high cost is like throwing away bread while many poor Malaysians go hungry.

Sarawakian_3ff9: Should so much of taxpayers' money be used just to spruce up one man's battered image?

Wouldn't it save millions for the country if he just step down? Pray tell.


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