17
October 2019
The
dust evidently still hasn’t settled on the ill-conceived Kongres Maruah Melayu, held almost two weeks ago.
While
some academics have publicly responded, no academic body has released a
statement, leaving one lone young graduate to wake us all up the last weekend
to what the Congress was all about.
When
engineering graduate, Wong Yan Ke, walked up the UM stage to collect his scroll
and then unveiled his little hand-written poster while calling the VC out as a
racist for his role in the Congress, perhaps he didn't suspect that the whole
administrative machinery in UM would come down to crush him.
In
this regard, even GERAK is astounded and appalled at the concerted backlash
that Wong's simple act of civil disobedience has caused.
Were
it not so serious, this whole episode could have been something out of a Monty
Python movie.
In
this regard, like more organisations that are speaking out now, GERAK stands
firmly behind Wong and his right and freedom to say what he said.
Even
saying it in a setting that has been contrived over the years to be sombre and
respectful. The key word here is `contrived'. For those who say that it was the
wrong venue, we ask, what other more effective venue was there?
At
any rate, now, supporters of the staus quo and of the VC are tripping over
themselves to attack Wong, depicting him as `biadap', `lacking class' and
worse, though predictably, a `racist'.
GERAK
believes that these attacks are silly, unfair and unfounded. Worse, they
deliberately sidestep and hide at least two main reasons why this whole episode
took place.
First,
the organizing of the Congress by UM and three other public universities funded
by public money, three of which having a multi-ethnic student and teaching
population.
Second,
the role played by UM and its VC in the Congress and whether this has brought
the university into disrepute.
When
the Congress was first announced, GERAK expressed our unease with it; especially
when it sounded like a saber-rattling, race-baiting gathering rather than an
intellectual meeting.
But
we were then quickly assured by a senior official that it was a congress to
discuss `research findings' that, in turn, could dispassionately inform policy.
What
transpired instead was what we suspected and feared - much chest-thumping and
very little concrete empirical findings. It was indeed much like a blame; if
not a hate - fest, led by the problematic Emeritus Professor Zainal Kling, renown
for once claiming that we were never colonized.
Be
that as it may, this Congress and UM's involvement was what Wong's action was
related to. This is something we cannot simply push aside in assessing his
action.
Lodging
a police report against Wong; withholding his transcripts and degree; mustering
disciplined but bored-looking students to protest against him, all smack of
immaturity, small-mindedness and the overreaching of the powers held by the
university authorities.
Such
use of force and censure is not only unnecessary and disgraceful, but also shows
little respect for human rights and goes against the spirit and principles of
debate and discussion.
Such
principles are precisely what GERAK has long been fighting for and what the
Education Minister has consistently encouraged and supported in our attempts at
bringing much-needed reforms to our education system.
Hence,
let us thank him for waking some of us up, but let us look beyond the "tree"
that is Wong Yan Ke. Indeed, let us examine and critique the "wood"
that is essentially the politicization of our premier universities and the
negative implications for academic autonomy, quality, and, most important,
academic integrity.
GERAK
Executive Committee
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