USM Edu Community

To lend support to Saw Sook Hwa-a final year Journalist student who face disciplinary hearing on this Wed, a number of USM student clubs gathered around 8.00pm tonite (22nd Nov) at the Concourse-a student interaction hall, to work out their response. But before they work out their view on the whole affair the gathering was abruptly dispersed by some campus security guarsds, one of whom even consficated the student identity card from a student there....(This is the first instalment of a daily blog on the trial of Saw Sook Hwa-look out for future instalments) The students were shocked to see the unreasonable behaviour of the campus security. However they decided to go home and pursue the matter with campus authority the next day.

Nov 22nd 9.00am Leafleting began in USM Some students were seen distributing a leaflet to fellow students at USM. The leaflet which consist of a few press cuttings in Chinese and English attempt to inform the campus community of the trial faced by Saw on Wed. Saw was 1 of the 3 students found to be involved in election campagning during the last General Election in Mar. The law (Uni and uni Colleges Act) prohibit uni students from involving in off campus groups and politics in general.

8.00pmUSM Graduates Held PC to Denounce Uni Authority's Anti-student Action
Some 30 USM graduates gathered at SOS Centre to hold a PC to denounce the USM authority in its disciplinary action against Saw. In their press statement Spokeperson Phun Zih Biao said that the anti-students' freedom action will only discredit the university as a respected institution.Phun related his personal experiences as the ex-chairperson for the Chinese Language Society who had to deal with the suspension of the society's registration in USM. His bad experiences of having to deal with campus authorities convinced him that the students need to fight back with courage and good arguments against a campus authority who go to any length to keep non-conforming students under pressure.

Malaysiakini Report Opposition's backing of Saw
Malaysiakini's Beh Lih Yih reported action in the Parliament's Lobby where some students obtained support for Saw from Opposition parties PKR, PAS and DAP, whose MPs signed a petition to USM authority to ask for charges against Saw to be dropped. It is understood that they will present the petitions to USM authority on Wed, just before the trial were to commence.

NGOS spoke against USM Action Against Saw
It has been confirmed that ALIRAN, SOS, PAN-AP, JIM, among others, had sent out separate statements to support Saw's case to the campus authority and the media. It seems reasonable to assume that more support would be forthcoming in coming week. A joint statement is said to be brewing among the NGOs, initiated from KL.

 

Source : malvu.org