Universiti Malaya's (UM) vice-chancellor Prof Anuar Zaini Mohd Zain today said he was confident that the university's students would not harm the university and urged all parties concerned to stop making wild speculations on the causes of fire which destroyed the university's Dewan Tunku Canselor (DTC) last Friday.

"I believe the students won't destroy the university. Stop all these nonsense," Anuar said in response to a question during a press conference after launching the Universiti Malaya DTC Restoration Fund in front of the razed building this morning.

He said that since the matter has been handed over to the police, everyone should wait for the results of their investigations.

During the event, university staff and students' associations pledged their support for the vice- chancellor's leadership. A total sum of RM155,486.30 has already been pledged to the fund.

Those who donated included the UM Alumni Association, the UM Bookshop Cooperative and UM research centres, departments, staff associations, residential colleges and students' groups.

Yesterday, the New Straits Times daily also launched a fund to assist in the re-building of the DTC.

"We estimate that we need another RM13 million to rebuild the DTC," Anuar said and appealed to those who 'have an affinity with UM' and members of the public to contribute to the fund as well.

Fanaticism

Last week, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs minister Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that 'political sentiments' could be the reason that influenced those responsible to cause the fire.

Muhyiddin, who is also a Umno vice-president, said that such action showed fanaticism and narrow-mindedness which are inappropriate for educated people such as university students.

Puteri Umno head Azalina Othman Said demanded that the vice-chancellor resign, citing the alleged occurrence of several anti-government activities on the UM campus such as the distribution of pamphlets which condemned the government.

She accused the vice-chancellor of not having done enough to deter the anti-government activities while drawing a possible link between these activities to the DTC fire.

Proper procedures

In response to the allegations that he was 'not doing enough' against the increasingly vocal student movement, Anuar said that the university administration need not impose heavy punishment on the students.

"Even if I catch them, there's no reasons for us to punish them to the maximum," he said, adding that the university should instead win over the students' hearts.

"Besides, we must have a clear mandate to punish. We need to conduct investigations, gather evidence, go through the proper procedures and find them guilty before any punishment can be meted out," explained Anuar.

Last Friday, an uninvited delegation of Puteri Umno members led Azalina Othman Said, who is also an appointed Umno Supreme Council member, barged into a press conference held by the Anuar on the DTC fire to handover a memorandum to him.

According to her, Puteri Umno was worried that the 'culture of militancy' would spread to other campuses in the country.