I refer to the malaysiakini report Shock over township plan for UM campus .

According to the report, a prominent developer has made a bid for the Universiti Malaya's campus ground. The university authority has denied it and expressed shock over the report. I suspect even they may not even be privy to the proposal.

The piece of campus land situated in Lembah Pantai is indeed very valuable, and I tend to believe that there may have been a proposal to shift the university and develop the land, bearing in mind that there is no smoke without fire.

I am not a Universiti Malaya graduate but that is not important because I believe that it is the duty of every single Malaysian to defend the heritage of the country, and one such legacy is the Universiti Malaya campus.

Businessmen, politicians, civil servants and indeed everyone of us must understand that there is something more valuable than just money. A heritage ground is one of these priceless inheritances.

No amount of money can be equated with a heritage ground. Money earned can easily be spent, but a heritage will remain forever as a symbol of a nation and it is what nationhood is about.

Imagine a proposal to shift the Buckingham Palace in London. Even though it is situated within the one-square-mile golden city centre, the British will defend this building till the end of their nationhood.

Imagine a proposal to shift Harvard University from its present campus in Cambridge, US. I think the whole of America will be in an uproar because the American heritage and the pride of the nation will be challenged.

There is a Chinese saying meaning 'A gentleman loves money but you must earn it in the proper way'. Developers and businessmen, let me appeal to you - there is something more important in life than just making profit.

Leave Universiti Malaya alone.