Magazine article does not incite violence says UM
Leong Kar YenPublished: Dec 21, 2000 4:21 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
An article published in the University of Malaya's (UM) in-house magazine for its first year students does not have any political inclinations nor does it incite students to violence, a Student Affairs Department (Hal-ehwal Pelajar or HEP) official told malaysiakini today.
"There is nothing in this magazine that calls upon the students to go against the government or to be violent,"assistant registrar Sha'ary Mohd. Din said.
Azham Abdul Ghani, a UM student, was quoted today by Berita Harian as saying that Varsity 2000 smacked of politics and one article incited the students to violence.
"This is the first time a periodical as such is leaning toward politics to the point where there are many articles inciting students to have demonstrations.
"We are worried that if this continues, it will give rise to graduates who will hate the government," Azham said.
Student activism and active involvement in partisan politics for local university students is heavily curtailed by the Universities and University Colleges Act.
Contents sanctioned
Sha'ary stated that both the HEP and the university had officially sanctioned the publication of the yearly periodical.
"The magazine, entitled Varsity 2000, is to fulfill the idealism of the students and to record intellectual history. A committee was created to edit and to oversee the contents of the magazine," he said.
Sha'ary then pointed to malaysiakini an article entitled "Wahai Mahasiswa, Variasikan Demonstrasi" (Under-graduates, vary demonstrations), which he said had been misconstrued by Azham as being political.
The article written by another UM student, stated that UM students should define the term "demonstration" in a broad manner and that students should be involved in intellectual "demonstrations" such as discussions, referendums, dialogues and memorandums.
"A student, whenever he or she writes an article, is asked to explain fully what he or she means. The student might say 'We are going against a certain idea' but he or she is asked to explain.
"Sometimes students may also may be confused for lack of understanding of terminologies," Sha'ary said.
Student wrong
When asked if the HEP would take action against Azham for making such an allegation, Sha'ary said that the HEP would do so if there are complaints lodged against Azham.
"Normally we can take action on the basis that he is defaming the name of the university. We are disappointed by the irresponsible action of Azham," Sha'ary said.
Meanwhile, president of UM's student union Mohd. Fuad Mohd Ikhwan, released a press statement today saying that Azham was wrong in making the statement.
"We are worried if there would be outside parties that would interfere and create disunity among the students.
"The UM Student Representative Council trusts that the Ministry Of Education and the Student Affairs Department to take the appropriate action against any student that breaks any student ethics and regulations," Fuad said.
"There is nothing in this magazine that calls upon the students to go against the government or to be violent,"assistant registrar Sha'ary Mohd. Din said.
Azham Abdul Ghani, a UM student, was quoted today by Berita Harian as saying that Varsity 2000 smacked of politics and one article incited the students to violence.
"This is the first time a periodical as such is leaning toward politics to the point where there are many articles inciting students to have demonstrations.
"We are worried that if this continues, it will give rise to graduates who will hate the government," Azham said.
Student activism and active involvement in partisan politics for local university students is heavily curtailed by the Universities and University Colleges Act.
Contents sanctioned
Sha'ary stated that both the HEP and the university had officially sanctioned the publication of the yearly periodical.
"The magazine, entitled Varsity 2000, is to fulfill the idealism of the students and to record intellectual history. A committee was created to edit and to oversee the contents of the magazine," he said.
Sha'ary then pointed to malaysiakini an article entitled "Wahai Mahasiswa, Variasikan Demonstrasi" (Under-graduates, vary demonstrations), which he said had been misconstrued by Azham as being political.
The article written by another UM student, stated that UM students should define the term "demonstration" in a broad manner and that students should be involved in intellectual "demonstrations" such as discussions, referendums, dialogues and memorandums.
"A student, whenever he or she writes an article, is asked to explain fully what he or she means. The student might say 'We are going against a certain idea' but he or she is asked to explain.
"Sometimes students may also may be confused for lack of understanding of terminologies," Sha'ary said.
Student wrong
When asked if the HEP would take action against Azham for making such an allegation, Sha'ary said that the HEP would do so if there are complaints lodged against Azham.
"Normally we can take action on the basis that he is defaming the name of the university. We are disappointed by the irresponsible action of Azham," Sha'ary said.
Meanwhile, president of UM's student union Mohd. Fuad Mohd Ikhwan, released a press statement today saying that Azham was wrong in making the statement.
"We are worried if there would be outside parties that would interfere and create disunity among the students.
"The UM Student Representative Council trusts that the Ministry Of Education and the Student Affairs Department to take the appropriate action against any student that breaks any student ethics and regulations," Fuad said.
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