62 Groups not happy with arrest of student activist, and Education Minister being President of University?

Well, the Pakatan Harapan led government is beginning to show its true colours. Now, we have people's right to peaceful assembly and protest being violated by this shameful arrest of 2 student activist... Muhyiddin explain?

Maszlee Malik

We have the Education Minister taking for himself the glory of being President of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). So wrong for the Minister of Education to accept such a position in one of the Universities which will be his responsibility as Education Minister. Will such universities receive 'special preferential treatment' - to avoid such public perception, an Education Minister should not take up such positions in any universities or education institution.

It was encouraging when Pakatan Harapan led government started removing 'political appointments', talking about doing away the high wages/allowances of CEOs, management, Directors of government owned or GLCs. 

An MP or a Minister must not be interested in amassing wealth, positions, titles, benefits for himself, his family, his political friends and cronies. They should be focused on good governance and serving the people...Their income should just be their already high salary/allowance as Member of Parliament, or their even higher salary/allowance as Minister. They should not be earning anything more by getting themselves appointed to other position which pays salaries/allowances...

Pakatan Harapan led-government is a NEW government, which hopefully will not procrastinate or make a 'U-turn' in its values and principles, adherence to human rights and the rule of law...

OR maybe it be time for Malaysians to look at other alternatives...The lower voter turn-out, and even the reduced majorities may be an indication that people maybe starting to lose hope in this so called 'Coalition of Hope' government...

For the moment, people will be patient...giving time for this new government to bring about the needed changes ...but patience may be running out ...

George Orwell's Animal Farm may be an indication of what is happening ...When in power, they may simply change becoming no better than what they ousted...

9/9/2018

Education Minister must refrain from heading any university to underline universities’ freedom from political control

On the proposed appointment of Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik as the President of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the ensuing developments,

We the following undersigned civil society organisations hold the following positions:

1.         Education Minister should not head any university to avoid conflict of interests. An Education Minister who is concurrently the President of IIUM would be caught with split of loyalty towards the Ministry and the University, as the two have legitimate institutional interests that are and should not be identical. On one hand, the Minister should not favour any university based on personal linkage as he must be fair to all higher learning institutions. On the other hand, the IIUM President must be prepared to fight for the best interests of the university or universities in general, which the Education Ministry may not necessarily agree. Such distinction of roles is pertinent for the healthy functioning of both the Ministry and universities and a shared leadership in one person is bound to compromise such check and balance and undermine the legitimate interests of either if not both parties.

2.         We salute the Education Minister’s pledge to liberate, reform and advance our universities towards excellence but all these require legal and organisational reforms, not management control. Starting with the repeal of Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, the Minister should work to end power concentration, non-transparency, unaccountability, authoritarianism and cronyism in our tertiary education institutions, not replacing old academia warlords with himself or his appointees.

3.         The argument that the Education Minister doubling up IIUM President will save RM 500,000 annually as the latter’s salary is completely misplaced as the check-and-balance between the Education Ministry and universities is not an item for cost-cutting. If this logic is to be applied across the board, then all Cabinet Ministers would have to helm many government-linked institutions and corporations. This would likely result in the minister’s attention and energy split too thin and likely poor leadership and management of both the ministries and the government-linked bodies. It is time to cease our indulgence for supermen and superwomen. It is also time to cease overburdening people and concentrating power in a few as cost cutting measure. In particular, the education sector must be alloted adequate budget to invest in new leadership and avoid overburdening and concentrating of power in a few.

4.         The past precedents of two sitting Education Ministers, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Dato Seri Najib Razak, holding the IIUM presidency, which reflected the Old Malaysia practice that personal linkage ensures development, must not continue in the New Malaysia which the Education Minister helped to install on May 9.. In a clear appreciation of new realities, the Prime Minister in waiting, Anwar Ibrahim, has set an excellent example by declining to offer of IIUM presidency, which should be emulated by the Education Minister.

5.         The Education Minister should honourably decline the appointment as the IIUM President by HRH Sultan of Pahang as the constitutional head of IIUM. He can certainly recommend a towering academic/intellectual who can enhance autonomy and stature of the university, both at home and in the world, without a ministerial office. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Muhamad has made clear that the appointment is not cast in stone. A graceful decline by the Education Minister will allow a smooth return to the drawing board.

6.         The arrest of two IIUM students on September 8 night for protesting the Education Minister’s appointment as the IIUM president, the first of student arrest since May 9, is much regretted. We note the contradicting accounts by the Education Minister and the Police on the arrest. We hereby appeal to the Education Minister's wisdom for a decision that would uphold the freedom of universities from undesirable influence and political interference. We believe this is a cause the Education Minister himself identified with especially when he was the subject of such occurrences.

Endorsed by:

1.      Agora Society

2.      Angkatan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (AMUM)

3.      Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (WargaAMAN)

4.      Bersih 2.0

5.      Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies (Huayan) 华研

6.      Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4)

7.      Challenger Malaysia

8.      Challenges Foundation

9.      Childline Malaysia

10.  Community Action Network (CAN)

11.  Demokrat Universiti Malaya (DUM)

12.  ENGAGE 愿景工程

13.  Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (PRIMA)

14.  Gabungan Persatuan Guru-Guru Sekolah Cina Malaysia (Jiaozong) 教总

15.  Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, Malaysia (GOPIO Malaysia)

16.  Greenfriends Sabah

17.  Health Equity Initiatives

18.  Justice for Sisters

19.  Knowledge and Rights with Young people through Safer Spaces (KRYSS)

20.  KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) 隆雪华堂

21.  Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiwa Independent (KAMI)

22.  LLG Cultural Development Centre   (LLG) 林连玉基金

23.  Malaysian Atheists and Secular Humanists (MASH)

24.  Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism & (MCCBCHST) 马来西亚五大宗教理事会

25.  Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS)

26.  Malaysian Indians Transformation Action Team (MITRA)

27.  Malaysia Muda

28.  Malaysian Youth Care Association (PRIHATIN)

29.  Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)

30.  Merdeka Education Centre 独立教育中心

31.  My Petaling Jaya (MyPJ)

32.  MySkills Foundation

33.  National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)

34.  Negeri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall (NSCAH) 森华堂

35.  North South Initiative (NSI)

36.  Oriental Hearts & Mind Study Institute (OHMSI)

37.  Partners of Community Organisation, Sabah (PACOS Trust)

38.  Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)

39.  Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran)

40.  Persatuan Bahasa Cina Universiti Malaya 马来亚大学大华文学会

41.  Persatuan Bekas Siswah Universiti dan Kolej Di China, Msia (LiuHua) 马来西亚留华同学会

42.  Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER)

43.  Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor Dan Wilayah Persekutuan   (PERMAS)

44.  Persatuan Rapat Malaysia (RAPAT)

45.  Persatuan Sahabat Wanita (PSW)

46.  Sabah Women's  Action Resource Group (SAWO)

47.  Sahabat Rakyat 人民之友

48.  Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)

49.  Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Association Youth Section 雪隆福青

50.  Sisters in Islam

51.  Society for the Promotion of Human Rights, Malaysia (PROHAM)

52.  SUARAM 人民之声

53.  Suara Siswa Universiti Malaya (SSUM)

54.  Tamil Foundation Malaysia  淡米尔基金

55.  TENAGANITA

56.  Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy赵明福民主基金会

57.  Tindak Malaysia (TM)

58.  United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) 董总

59.  United Chinese School Alumni Associations of Malaysia (UCSAAM) 校友联总

60.  University of Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY) 马大新青年

61.  Women Development Organisation  Malaysia (WDO)

62.  Youth Era

Two students arrested over Maszlee sit-in protest at Education Ministry

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Nation Saturday, 8 Sep 2018 12:06 PM MYT PUTRAJAYA: Two student activists were arrested early today (Sept 8) over a sit-in protest at the Education Ministry.

They were part of the group protesting the appointment of Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik as the president of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

According to activist lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri in a Facebook post, the students were arrested for trespassing.

“Two student activists have been arrested for trespassing. Shame on you Maszlee Malik!” she said in the post, accompanied by photos of the students being apprehended.

In an earlier post on Friday (Sept 7) night, Fadiah stated that the group of students had been at the ministry for about 14 hours. She questioned how long Dr Maszlee would stay silent.

However, in a response, Dr Maszlee said he had been informed of the duo's arrest. He added that they had been released by the police.

“I am aware of the demonstration at the ministry’s headquarters.

“I am all for students’ freedom of speech, as well as their right to voice their opinion,” he said in a post on Facebook Saturday morning (Sept 8).

He said he respected the views of all parties in relation to his appointment as IIUM’s president.

“I instructed my officers to allow the demonstrators to protest at the ministry’s headquarters Blok E8, Parcel E, Putrajaya.

“They were given good treatment, including food, drinks and other basic necessities,” said Dr Maszlee, adding that the protesters consisted of students and NGO activists.

National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan had also been instructed to meet with the group in the evening, he added.

“I will try my best to meet them personally as soon as possible, and am scheduling this Wednesday.

“I cannot meet them right away as I am in Sarawak for a working visit,” he added.

Despite his assurance to meet them next week, Dr Maszlee said the group still insisted on remaining on the steps of the ministry’s headquarters until he resigned from the IIUM post.

“However, the group vacated the ministry’s compound and gathered at the main entrance of Parcel 5.

“They were advised by ministry officers and the police to disperse, but they refused. This forced the police to stop the protest at 2am,” he said.

Dr Maszlee claimed he was told that a majority of the group had agreed to disperse, save the two who were arrested.- Star, 8/9/2018