Universiti Malaya vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim is wrong to brand the clown-face caricature of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak a provocation, student groups from the university said today.
In a joint statement, the groups – UM Association of New Youth, Angkatan Mahasiswa UM and Demokrat UM – also claimed that Rahim saying there are limits to students' freedom of speech implied the students involved in last Friday's protest had violated the law.
"We are very disappointed with the unclear statement from the vice-chancellor. His claim that the students' rights to speak cannot go beyond the limitations set by the law indirectly implied that the seven students (involved in the protest) had violated the law.
"At the same time, the vice-chancellor also cannot call the 'Clown Najib' caricature a provocation. It is known that the caricature had been long used in previous demonstrations.
"The seven students rallied peacefully and did not utter any harsh words in their protest," they said in the statement this morning.
The student groups were responding to the UM vice-chancellor saying that the scuffle between the seven student protesters and Najib supporters could have been avoided if there were no "provocative words and actions."
Read more: Different views no excuse for violence, says Higher Education Dept
At the protest, Umany president Wong Yan Ke held up a clown-face caricature of Najib across the street from a restaurant where Najib was giving a talk.
The student protesters were then confronted by a group of Najib's supporters led by Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam, who snatched the 'clown-face' cutout from Wong and tore it.
Subsequently, another supporter grabbed Wong in a reverse chokehold and attempted to pull him over the railing which separated the pavement from the road.
Other supporters, including Lokman, intervened and stopped him. Lokman told reporters later that he was provoked because they had used his "boss" Najib's image.
The Umno leader and others had also harassed two Malaysiakini interns over the news portal's report on the incident.
Acceptable criticism
In their statement, the student groups also said that Rahim should be cognisant of the fact that satirical images have long been used as an acceptable means of critique.
The groups stressed that politics aside, what should be the main focus is that force was used to silence dissent.
"To the vice-chancellor, UM students and all parties, we should go beyond the boundary of differences of political views and object to the use of force to silence critics and dissenting opinions.
"This goes not just for the seven UM students, but also for the right to speak and gather, as stipulated in the Federal Constitution."
Rahim (above) also came under fire from the UM Association of Academicians (PKAUM), who said his statement justified the actions of Najib's supporters, instead of coming to the defence of the students.
"PKAUM is saddened by the statement of the vice-chancellor who justified the actions of the transgressors, instead of supporting the rights of the university's students.
"However, PKAUM wishes to express support for the Education Minister Maszlee Malik who has upheld truth and condemned violence against the students of Universiti Malaya," it said in a statement.
In the wake of the scuffle, Maszlee said yesterday that all university vice-chancellors should condemn the behaviour of the group that attacked the protesting students.
“It is not right for university authorities to project an unclear stand and take the safe route when students are attacked by irresponsible parties.
"This took place a few days ago, and something similar could happen in other universities if everyone adopts a lackadaisical attitude,” the minister had said.
