Student groups slam UM for blocking forum on peaceful assembly

Summary

• Two student groups claim Universiti Malaya blocked a forum on peaceful assembly that was supposed to take place on campus last night.

• Liga Mahasiswa criticises the action and urges the UM deputy vice-chancellor of student affairs to explain the decision.

• New Generation of Universiti Malaya condemns UM for introducing new regulations that give university officials the power to approve or cancel student programmes.

Universiti Malaya has come under fire from student groups after its management allegedly blocked a forum on peaceful assembly laws last night.

The forum featuring artist-activist Fahmi Reza and lawyer Rajsurian Pillai was organised by a movement called Liga Mahasiswa, and was initially scheduled to take place inside the university’s main campus in Kuala Lumpur at 8pm.

However, according to the organiser, they were informed by UM auxiliary police that the forum was not allowed to take place inside its compound, allegedly by order of the UM deputy vice-chancellor in charge of student affairs.

“This action was clearly against the spirit of academic freedom and right to speak that should be guaranteed in higher learning institutions.

“Unfortunately, students had to bring the forum outside UM’s gate, which once upon a time was stormed (by supporters) of Anwar Ibrahim, who was then a symbol of the rakyat’s struggle.

“Ironically, history has repeated itself. Today, when we are in the era of the Anwar administration, students continue to be blocked, silenced, and denied their rights to discuss freely.

“Reformasi has become a mere slogan when universities are used as a tool to stop critical academic forums,” said Liga Mahasiswa in a statement.

Malaysiakini has reached out to the UM corporate communications officer for comments.

Adding further, the group demanded that the university’s deputy vice-chancellor provide a public explanation regarding the forum prohibition and a guarantee that UM would not pressure or take any action against its organiser and participants.

They also want UM to respect and protect academic freedom in the university.

“If intellectual discussions continue to be blocked, then the university no longer serves as an academic platform but has instead become a prison for the intellectual.”

SAD supervision

In a similar tone, a UM-based student group called New Generation of Universiti Malaya (NewGen) also condemned the university’s Student Affairs Department (SAD) for cancelling last night’s forum and another similar event recently.

It said the move reflects a lack of transparency and a clear bias, which directly affects academic freedom, freedom of expression, and student autonomy.

NewGen also criticised the university’s introduction of a new ruling requiring all student bodies to appoint an advisor from the SAD, and giving the advisor full authority to approve or cancel any student programmes.

“This is not merely about the cancellation of programmes, but a suppression of student voices and student initiatives on campus.

“The core issue lies in the implementation of new guidelines by UM, which require all student bodies to appoint an advisor from SAD and grant SAD full authority to approve all programmes, including campus venue bookings.

“The implementation of the new guidelines makes way for administrative interference in student organisation affairs, and gives SAD the authority to cancel any programmes at any time, even without proper justification,” the group said in a statement.

Adding further, NewGen said UM students are fully capable of managing their organisations and events responsibly.

It urged the university to revoke the appointment of SAD officers as mandatory advisors to student organisations and reinstate the authority of the UM Students Union’s executive committee in approving student programme applications.

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