Revoke the 3 semester suspension against Adam Adli for replacing the 'Najib' flag with the academic freedom flag for a few minutes..

Adam Adli - what did he do? Well, when the students went to hand over a protest memorandum to the Deputy Higher Education Minister on academic freedom, Adam Adli also decided to lower a clothe bearing Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's face that was hanging on a flagpole and replace it with the 'academic freedom' flag. Within 5 minutes, apparently the Najib flag was again up the pole - and for this he was suspended for 3 semesters by his University.

Note this was not the Malaysian flag - not the BN flag - not the UMNO flag even but a 'Najib flag' - looking at some pictures, I believe there was a few other flags bearing the images of past Prime Ministers. Was there any flag bearing the image of the King...flying higher than this image of the PM or even at the same level? I wonder whether these flags bearing images of the PMs is also something that is right and acceptable from the point of view of principles, values and even the law? What do you think?

Adam Adli was exercising his freedom of expression...freedom of opinion - wonder even the bringing down of this Najib's flag would even give rise to a possible charge of Sedition - I believe not. So, why now is he being suspended for 3 semesters - it is wrong. If he had broken the law or even a 'university rule', then worse case scenario may be a fine or a reprimand - never a suspension of his studies in this manner. Malaysians are mature enough to be able to appreciate that this was nothing more than an act of free expression at most... and the thing with expressions and opinions is that there will be those that agree with you and those that disagree with you - certainly not an act that warrants a retaliation by an institute of higher learning by the imposition of suspension not just for a few days or weeks but for 3 whole semester.

Was the flag damaged...burned...no, it was not since he climbed the pole again in a few minutes. 

Hence, I call for the said University to immediately review and revoke the said suspension of this 22 year old young student. 

Is Najib demanding an apology? I have not seen or heard that he was... so is not the university going overboard? Is the police and the AG pursuing the matter? I believe not.. so why is the university doing so.

The government and Najib says that it is for freedom of expression and assembly - and that is also the reason they said why they have pushed for a Peaceful Assembly Act - so, is not the suspension of this student contrary to the current government's position...

I do not know what the charge the university levied against the said student - may be interesting to see the exact wording...but it is all so absurd. We are talking about a student - not even a civil servant or even a military personnel. In Malaysia, a 22-year old university student is treated like a 'child' not even having the ability to campaign in general elections, let alone stand as a candidate for MP or ADUN. So, again I say - suspension is wrong. Reprimand if need be - or being a 'child' just ground him by sending him off to his room without dinner - not destroy his education and future...

The 22-year-old Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student, Adam Adli Abdul Halim, who lowered a flag depicting Najib Abdul Razak at the Umno headquarters at the Putra World Trade Centre, said he would not apologise to the prime minister for his actions.

Telling Sinar Harian in an exclusive interview today, Adam said his actions were to drive a point that the present situation in the country was getting worse and hoped his actions would create awareness.

“I will never apologise (to the prime minister). Since the thing had happened till today, now I am asked to apologise. I will never do that. How about my friends and the struggle? ” he asked.

“I do not want my friends to be demoralised if I apologise.

"It is not that I will never apologise at all, as maybe someday I may have to say sorry to some people for my actions,” he said when asked whether he will apologise to the prime minister.

Adam (left) said he wanted to convey the message that university students should not be afraid as they are aware that discrimination and mismanagement do exist.

“Why should university students be afraid of those whom we have elected. They should work for us. Do not be afraid to criticise our leaders, no matter who they are.

“I do not want university students to be aggressive in their protests but be creative,” he said, adding that he is prepared to face any repercussion.

Tracing back the moments that led him to lower Najib's flag, Adam said that while the memorandum was being handed to Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, the situation was getting dull as the students marched from the Malaysian Human Rights Commission, and only Saifuddin had agreed to meet them at PWTC.

Adam said he felt there was no desired impact with the handover of the memorandum as they marched And pictures were taken.

“All that was insufficient as we have been shouting academic freedom along the way and we only shook hands with the deputy minister and took pictures.

“For me that is insufficient and I decided to take our flag and lower down Najib's flag and replace it with the academic freedom flag.

“Some students who saw this shouted victory. I felt that victory was not in managing to meet a deputy minister but to make a strong statement,” he said.

The student said his parents supported his actions and it was not right to label him and his family as opposition sympathisers.

Meanwhile, the paper also reported that Adam’s father had sought PKR Youth’s help protect his son who had received various threats following his action.

“It has become a serious issue and Adam has also lodged a police report at the Tanjung Malim police station. I hope police would do the necessary to protect him,” said PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.- Malaysiakini, 22/12/2011, Adam: I will not apologise to the prime minister