This is one gathering we should attend. To stand in solidarity with my friend Azmi Sharom and say no to the Sedition Act. This Wednesday at Universiti Malaya (UM) at 1pm. A hartal. That sounds apt. Its peaceful, its civil. Its democratic. Are we at last going to see an overwhelming demonstration of student power? Will this be the biggest protest by students since the 1970s? Will the terror unleashed by Mahathir on university campuses since then be forever expunged? Will the turnout on Wednesday be so huge that it will cause Mahathir to feel intense pain and scream with grief? Will it jolt Najibs memory so that he recalls his promise made 2 years ago to repeal the Sedition Act? Will it send a strong message to Umno telling the party to stop calling for the perpetuation of an archaic law inherited from the colonial masters simply because it serves its selfish interest to remain in power? Will UMs authorities try to prevent the event from happening? If they do, will the academics of UM rise in defiance in the name of academic freedom, which has so long been denied them? The time has come, the Walrus said, To talk of many things: Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing-wax -- Of cabbages -- and kings -- And why the sea is boiling hot -- And whether pigs have wings. Yea, the time has come! Will you be there, my friends? themalaysianinsider/malaysia/article/um-student-council-announces-strike-to-show-solidarity-with-law-lecturer-az
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 14:28:40 +0000