PKR’s Teja state assemblyperson Chan Lih Kang has urged the US embassy to intervene in Universiti Malaya's (UM) action against four of its students for protesting at US President Barack Obama's town hall meeting at the university on April 27.
 
"I would like to urge the US embassy (in) Kuala Lumpur, the organiser of the town hall meeting, to shoulder the responsibility to defend these students.
 
"They are incriminated for voicing dissent in the embassy’s programme. Lack of commitment in defending them will give the impression that the embassy is condoning punishment on dissidents," he said in a statement yesterday.
 
Chan, a former student activist, was referring to UM's Student Affairs Department which had issued show cause letters to four students who held a brief protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) during Obama's town hall meeting with the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative.

He lamented that despite Obama speaking about respecting differences in opinion at the town hall meeting, UM was quick to throw that advice out as soon as the president left the country.

"During his visit to Malaysia, President Barack Obama vowed to support Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's efforts to push for more reforms in the area of human rights, press freedom and civil liberties in Malaysia.
 
"Just few days after President Obama left, Najib showed his 'effort in pushing reforms' by punishing students who voiced dissent in the meeting with Obama. It is ironical and farcical," he said.
 
The students had held up "No TPPA" placards during the town hall meeting.
 
Obama, when speaking on respecting differences of opinion at the town hall meeting, had seen some of the placards and remarked: "For example there is a 'no' over there. I don't know what those young people are saying 'no' about".
 
Chan also called on on Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to immediately rectify UM's "misdeed" in wanting to act against the students.
 
"Apparently, our higher education institutions never learn from their past mistakes. Universities are not kindergartens; students with critical thinking are assets of the universities and the country.
 
"By curbing the rights of students, the university is doing a disservice to the nation. They had done it in the past. This is déjà vu all over again," he said.
 
Chan added that he was present at the town hall meeting during students' protest and said the event went on without a hitch.