Universiti Malaya (UM) should set up an entity like the world-renown and independent Oxford Union to create distance from any “controversial figures” invited to speak on campus.

The United Kingdom and Eire Malaysian Law Students' Union (KPUM) president Pang Jo Fan said this is as UM may want to have “some control” over its branding and reputation.

In a statement, Pang said by taking the Oxford Union model, UM can use the structured to “modulate” any effect student organised talks may have.

He was commenting on the Universiti Malaya Students’ Association (PMUM) organised talk which featured opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as speaker.

According to the student leader, penalising the eight UM student leaders with expulsion or suspension seemed heavy-handed.

Expressing KPUM’s solidarity with the eight students, Pang said students must continue to “maintain their commitment to intellectual sophistication and academic rigour”.

A debating society, the Oxford Union has been independent of Oxford University ever since its foundation.

As Britain’s second oldest university union, it has a long history of hosting international figures.

KPUM is not the first overseas Malaysian student union to express solidarity with the eight student leaders.

Malaysian Progressives in Australia (MPOZ), a movement of Malaysian students in Australia said the eight UM students have its “utmost salutations and respect for their courage and bravery in standing up for their right and freedom”.

Meanwhile, Pang said that KPUM have had the privilege to host speakers and leaders from both the ruling government and the opposition parties, without significant interference from their respective universities.

“We appreciate that there are nuanced and complex differences between the Malaysian context and that of the United Kingdom.

“But, we consider that expulsion or suspension of the student leaders for organising the talk by Anwar is disproportionate, even for Malaysia.”

This is because they are “concerned” about the considerable amount of discretion enjoyed by the university’s student affairs department by virtue of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA).

‘Unnecessary crackdown’

“We are heavily disappointed with the unnecessary crackdown on student autonomy by the UM administration with the heavy abuse of the UUCA in pressing charges against the eight student leaders,” he said.

The Oct 27 rally at UM attracted 2,000 students and supporters, and became the first of a nationwide tour to call for student autonomy.

On Friday, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa locked its main gate and turned off the lights on campus to stop a student rally featuring former UIA lecturer and law professor Abdul Aziz Bari, UM law lecturer Azmi Sharom and UM student union president Fahmi Zainol.

The rally continued at the student gates and attracted hundreds of student and supporters.

Fahmi and other student leaders will speak at Universiti Malaysia Sabah on Sunday and continue the tour to Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, the Penang campus of Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Utara Malaysia in Kedah.


Related story

Cops put student leaders through urine tests in KK

Another university blacks out as students rally

Unisel is not 'Pakatan university', says exco

Be proactive and follow your dreams, Gen Y told