The Malaysian Insider 6 November 2014
Youth activist Safwan Anang, who was sentenced to 10 months in jail for sedition in September, said the recent outcry among student activists against the “oppressive regime” was no ordinary protest and could usher in a greater movement at the societal level.
“It is time for the students to unite all Malaysians from among the youths, workers, social activists, NGOs, party activists and ordinary citizens who are fighting against endless issues such as the rise in fuel price and living costs, the goods and services tax, the use of the Sedition Act and the oppression of people’s rights.
“The students should be the pioneers in mobilising a huge movement to shake the regime from its comfortable position,” said Safwan in a statement.
The Lensa Anak Muda (Lensa) executive director praised his juniors for initiating the student movement on October 27, when they invited Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim into the Universiti Malaya (UM) campus despite the university’s ban on the event.
“These students are courageous defenders of the oppressed. Their action in bringing in Anwar was suicidal!
“That night they also proved that they could unite a variety of Malaysians irrespective of their background, and in fact some in attendance were university staff who wished to express their solidarity in the face of evil.”
He also said that the very next day, the students did not turn up outside the Federal Court for Anwar’s sodomy appeal but instead headed to Kampung Chubadak Tambahan to protect the villagers whose homes were being torn down that day by the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL).
“They chose to go there to defend the oppressed individuals whose homes were about to be bulldozed, while the previous night, these same activists had organised a programme in solidarity with another oppressed individual (Anwar).
“Yesterday, they succeeded in bringing Opah (Wahida Md Salleh, whose house was demolished in Kampung Chubadak Tambahan) into UM to deliver her message to the students. Again, we salute the students.”
Safwan urged the students not to be deterred by the disciplinary hearing tomorrow against the eight who had participated in Anwar’s programme, including student leader Fahmi Zainol.
“We, the youth activists, take the rise in student power seriously. Even though they will face the university’s disciplinary board tomorrow, they should not back down.”
The eight students have been instructed to attend an inquiry board meeting tomorrow for participating in the October 27 programme titled “40 years: from UM to prison”.
The programme was declared illegal by the university and the campus was locked down that night, but hundreds forced their way through the gates, allowing Anwar to enter his alma mater and address a crowd of about 2,000.
Fahmi now faces nine charges under the Universities and University Colleges Act, and faces the possibility of expulsion from UM.
Several student groups also urged the public to “occupy UM” this Friday in support of the eight students who have been charged.
They said they intended to camp near the Kompleks Perdana Siswa from morning until the results of the inquiry were announced. – November 6, 2014.