Posted on February 23rd, 2009 by Nathaniel Tan
Yet another student to be charged under the UUCA >:( He wasn’t trying to topple the government. All he was doing was trying to get lower bus fares for students already facing a tough time :(
When will these people get it? As long as you have repressed and oppressed universities, you can forget about ever having world class university graduates.
The ability to inquire freely is the first and foremost hallmark of any university worthy of the name.
Below are details from DEMA, including a letter you can send.
Choo Kok Wei, a final semester student from University Utara Malaysia (UUM) has been charged by university authority because he has planned a protest in online media and released press statement regarding bus fare issue in UUM. He was asked to attend disciplinary proceeding on 25/2 (Wednesday), 9.25am at Bilik Mesyuarat Sri Delima, Tingkat 5, Bangunan Canselori.
We strongly feel that the UUCA charge should be withdrawn because:
a) Choo Kok Wei has done nothing wrong. He was trying to help the students to voice out their unsatisfaction towards the policy and showed it to the authority.
b) Freedom of expression should be preserved in a democratic campus as stated in Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 10 of Federal Constitution in Malaysia.
c) Choo Kok Wei has shown a role model by concerning in campus policy and tried to gather the opinions of students to help improve the university.
Background of the incident:
On 3/1/09, a bus company in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) named Unic Symbol Business Sdn. Bhd. had released a notice about the upgrading of E-bus System and increment in bus fare starting from 17/01/09. Under the new system, two plans will be introduced:
1. RM90 plan: Unlimited times of bus riding for the whole semester. But a matric card can only be used once in 15 minutes to avoid students from sharing the same matric card.
2. RM22 plan: Contains 40 points, which means 40 bus rides. This is equal to RM0.55 per ride (one way). In this way, the bus fare has increased 37.5%, from RM0.40 to RM0.55 per ride (one way).
3. The remaining credits for both plans cannot be transferred to the next semester.
The news spread fast and students were unhappy with the changes made.
On 12/1/09, Choo Kok Wei and friends had set up an online petition specifically for UUM students at www.petitiononline.com/20090112/petition.html to gather students’ support as a protest towards the bus issue. So far 509 signatures had been collected.
On 19/1/09, Choo Kok Wei and friends have met with Deputy Vice Chancellor and he has promised to fulfill some of their demands. Deputy Vice Chancellor has agreed to reduce the bus fare to RM0.40 but university will review the rate from time to time. Remaining of the credits can be brought forward to the next semester. Deputy Vice Chancellor also ensured that voices of students will be taken into consideration in the future. But he refused to open the contract with UNIC to the public because it is confidential.
A month later, on 19/2/09, Choo received a letter from the Disciplinary Board of UUM, charging him for planning a protest in online media and released press statement regarding bus fare issue in UUM.
| Date | Incident |
| 03/01/09 | A bus company in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) named Unic Symbol Business Sdn. Bhd. had released a notice about the upgrading of E-bus System and increment in bus fare starting on 17/01/09. Under the new system, two plans will be introduced:
Remaining credits for both plans cannot be transferred to the next semester. The news spread fast and students were unhappy with the changes made. |
| 12/01/09 | Choo Kok Wei and friends had set up an online petition specifically for UUM students at www.petitiononline.com/20090112/petition.html to gather students’ support as a protest towards the bus issue. Initially it was planned to be held for five days and then a memorandum will be sent to the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Dr. Nordin Kardi, Ph.D. 2pm Within few hours, the number of signature had reached 200. 3pm Kok Wei received call from Security Department (UK) during lecture, so he didn’t answer it. 5pm The online petition website had been blocked by UUM but Kok Wei and friends were able to find ways to access to it later and spread it to the students. |
| 13/01/09 | 8.30am UK officer Selvaraju a/l Subramanian (Investigation Department) called Kok Wei and wanted Kok Wei to go to UK immediately. 11am Selvaraju called Kok Wei again during his assignment discussion. Kok Wei wasn’t able to make it and Selvaraju threatened Kok Wei that he would go to Kok Wei’s room. 6.30pm UK sent an official letter to Kok Wei, asking him to go to UK office for discussion on the next morning. Immediately, Kok Wei replied UK that he would meet UK on 17/01/09 after meeting with Deputy Vice Chancellor. |
| 14/01/09 | 8.10am Selvaraju called Kok Wei, saying that he couldn’t accept Kok Wei’s request to postpone the meeting. He wanted Kok Wei to go to UK immediately. Again, Selvaraju threatened that he will write a letter to Deputy Vice Chancellor so that Kok Wei will be kicked out from hostel. |
| 15/01/09 | Kok Wei resent appointment letter to Deputy Vice Chancellor to postpone the meeting to 19/01 because 17/01 was public holiday. |
| 17/01/09 | 12.30pm Kok Wei went UK to meet Selvaraju as promised in the replied letter. Kok Wei admitted that he set up the online petition. During the interrogation, many irrelevant questions were asked. 5pm Interrogation went on for 4 and a half hours and finished at 5pm. |
| 19/01/09 | The number of signature for the online petition had reached 500. 11.35pm Kok Wei and friends met with Deputy Vice Chancellor and handed in a memorandum. Four demands have been raised:
Deputy Vice Chancellor has agreed to reduce the bus fare to RM0.40 but university will review the rate from time to time. Remaining of the credits can be brought forward to the next semester. Deputy Vice Chancellor also ensured that voices of students will be taken into consideration in the future. But he refused to open the contract with UNIC to the public because it is confidential. |
| 19/02/09 | At Night Choo received a letter from the Disciplinary Board of UUM, charging him for “planning a protest in online media and released press statement regarding bus fare issue in UUM”. He was asked to attend disciplinary proceeding on 25/2 (Wednesday), 9.25am at Bilik Mesyuarat Sri Delima, Tingkat 5, Bangunan Canselori. |
| 22/02/09 | 8.30am Kok Wei sent a letter asking for postpone, but has been rejected by the secretary of UUM Disciplinary Board without reading at the letter. Kok Wei wasn’t able to meet the Deputy Vice Chancellor because he is not in the office. |
Democracy in UUM
Students as one of the stakeholders of a university should be given opportunity to monitor every contract or affairs that are related to the campus and especially to the students. The bus fare issue in UUM will definitely affect the students because they are the ones who are using the service and they need to pay for it. Thus, any changes in the service should involve students’ opinion and thoughts so that the policy will do good to the students.
In this case, Choo Kok Wei was trying to uphold the principles of campus democracy by raising the issue amongst the students so that they have a platform to voice out their opinion. 509 signatures of UUM students have been collected in a short period has shown that students are unsatisfied with the change in bus service. The authority should therefore take into account the students’ consideration, not charging Choo Kok Wei to create fear among the students as a warning to them.
All contracts and trading should be transparency so that everyone can monitor it. Students should be encouraged to show concern about the university policy and give their opinion freely. The charging of Choo Kok Wei is a retrogression of democracy in UUM.
Demands
Hence, DEMA calls upon authority of UUM to withdraw disciplinary charge from Choo Kok Wei immediately. DEMA also urges the authority of UUM to open the contract between UUM and UNIC to the public to show that there is no conflict of interest in this issue.
What Can You Do?
1. Fax the sample letter below to UUM authority immediately.
Pejabat Naib Canselor:
No. Fax: 04-9283180
2. Call UUM authority to ask about the case and protest towards the UUCA charge on Choo Kok Wei.
Pejabat HEP:
Tel: 04-9284070/3224
Pejabat Naib Canselor:
Tel: 04-9283001
Released by,
Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
Tan Sze Ming (UUM Coordinator)
012-4046310
sze_min310@hotmail.com
Sample Letter
Please state your protest by sending a letter to the Vice Chancellor of University Utara Malaysia (UUM).
To:
Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Dr. Nordin Kardi, Ph.D
Vice Chancellor
Pejabat NC,
Bagunan Canselori
Universiti Utara Malaysia
06010, UUM Sintok
Kedah Darul Aman.
Tel: 04-9283001
No. Fax: 04-9283180
Withdraw Disciplinary Charge on Choo Kok Wei Immediately
We/I from ______________________, oppose the action of UUM authority for charging a final semester student, Choo Kok Wei, for practising his rights as student and a Malaysia citizen, to set up an online petition to gather students’ voices on the UUM bus fare issue.
2. We/I strongly feel that the disciplinary charge should be withdrawn because:
1. Choo Kok Wei has done nothing wrong. He was trying to help the students to voice out their unsatisfaction towards the policy and showed it to the authority.
2. Freedom of speech should be preserved in a democratic campus as stated in Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 10 of Federal Constitution in Malaysia.
3. Choo Kok Wei has shown a role model by concerning in campus policy and tried to gather the opinions of students to help improve the university.
3. Students as one of the stakeholders of a university should be given opportunity to monitor every contract or affairs that are related to the campus and especially to the students. Thus, any changes in the service should involve students’ opinion and thoughts so that the policy will do good to the students. Students should be encouraged to show concern about the university policy and give their opinion freely. The charging of Choo Kok Wei is a retrogression of democracy in UUM.
4. We/I urge that UUM authority:
a) to withdraw disciplinary charge from Choo Kok Wei immediately.
b) to open the contract between UUM and UNIC to the public to show that there is no conflict of interest in this issue.
c) to preserve the freedom of expression of the students as stated in Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 10 of Federal Constitution in Malaysia, and uphold campus democracy.
Yours faithfully,
______________
( )
CC:
Y.B. DATO’ SERI MOHAMED KHALED BIN NORDIN
Menteri Pengajian Tinggi,
Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi,
Aras 7, Blok E3, Parcel E,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62505 PUTRAJAYA.
Tel : +603-8883 5010
Faks : +603-8889 1952
Emel : menteri@mohe.gov.my
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