Occupy UM: The Peaceful Protest That Took A Turn And Ended With A Torched Effigy
A group of University Malaya students started a protest dubbed 'Occupy UM with UM8' after student activists have been penalised for organising a banned Anwar talk on campus.
By Hew Lee Yee — 16 Dec 2014, 12:31 PM — Updated almost 10 years ago
On The Afternoon Of 10 December 2014, Students Of University Malaya Started A Movement Called 'Occupy UM with UM8'
The students under a movement tagged as “Occupy UM with UM8″ has made a camp on the green grass situated just outside the university’s Bangsar entrance where they will staying until their demand is adhered.
Its organiser and student leader Wan Nur Syamimi Wan Sajiri launched the movement as she called upon all students to join their effort to fight against what they claimed to be a draconian act done on the part of the UM authorities.
therakyatpost.com
The Goal Of This Movement Is For The University To Withdraw Punishments On UM Student Activists Who Organised A Banned Anwar Talk On Campus
A movement dubbed 'Occupy UM with UM8' was launched this afternoon in University Malaya in a bid to pressure the university into withdrawing punishments inflicted upon seven of its undergraduates.
“We have gathered here today to tell all Malaysians to look at the injustice that is taking place in the university. Universities today are no longer independent. Its students are being punished just for fighting for academic independence. What is happening in UM today is a sign of the students’ uprising. We also want to remind the university that any punishment has never broken the students’ spirit to fight for the campus’ democracy and academic freedom.”
therakyatpost.com
The Protestors Managed To Catch The Attention Of PKR's Secretary-General, Rafizi Ramli Who Urged Other Pakatan MPs To Join In On The Support For Occupy UM
Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, who is also PKR's secretary-general, plans to camp with the students this Sunday beginning 11pm and has invited other politicians and activists to take turns doing the same until the punishments are lifted.
"All political party leaders, non-governmental organisations and activists should come and join the students who are camping out by taking turns to sleep there," he said in a statement which was also signed by PAS MP for Kuala Krai, Dr Hatta Ramli.
themalaysianinsider.com
The Next Day, On 11 December, Police And City Hall Officers Showed Up To Instruct The Protestors To Take Down Their Tents And Clear The Site
Police and City Hall officers have moved in on student group Occupy UM who have been camping at the Universiti Malaya entrance to protest against the varsity's decision to punish several student leaders.
Malaysiakini reported that around 30 officers from both enforcement agencies ordered the students to take down their tents.
The officers, it was reported, arrived at 3pm in two police trucks and a City Hall truck to clear the area of the students and their camps, which was set up since yesterday.
themalaysianinsider.com
Despite Having Their Tents Removed, Students Have Been Keeping The Occupy UM Protest Peaceful, Determined To Achieve Their Goal
The group had been camping outside the UM entrance since Wednesday, getting food and drinks from people who came out to support them, said Universiti Malaya Islamic Students Association president Khairol Najib Hashim.
thestar.com.my“The students have been attending their classes regularly. We would take turns being at the site and going to class,” he told The Star yesterday. Khairol Najib also said that City Hall removed their tents on Thursday night but the students stayed put by sleeping on mats instead.
“They were back again on Friday to remove our bunting and banners,” he said, adding that Occupy UM would continue with its protest until the university’s management lifts the punishment meted out on several student leaders.
Things Took A Turn On 15 December After Five Days Of "Occupying" When The Group Decided To Move Their Campsite Closer To The Administration Building, Perdana Siswa
After five days of “occupying” Universiti Malaya (UM) in front of its main gate here, a group of some 50 students moved their campsite today to the front of the Student Affairs Office in campus, demanding that the charges against eight of their fellow student leaders are dropped.
The students had earlier in the morning marched from their original campsite to the administration building called Perdana Siswa, and vowed to continue their protest until the university’s vice-chancellor of student affairs, Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof, personally accepted their memorandum.
themalaymailonline.com
Why Did They Shift From Their Original Campsite? The Main Reason Was That Their Demands Were Being Ignored By The Faculty
The group said it decided to move closer to Perdana Siswa after their demands were previously ignored even after five days of their first “occupy” campaign.
“I was suspended just for using a loudspeaker. What kind of stupid law was that?” asked Safwan Shamsuddin, the chairman of ruling student faction Pro-Mahasiswa.
themalaymailonline.com
Students Demanded For A Statement From Deputy Vice-Chancellor Rohana Yusof With A 5PM Deadline And Will Retaliate If Their Demands Are Not Met
The protestors have set a deadline of 5 pm on Monday for Deputy Head of SAD, Rohana Yusof, to receive their Memorandum. It was learnt that the students were told that Rohana was at another university and wasn’t available. The students then demanded that SAD staff show them Rohan’s schedule for the day. “We know what to do,” said Muslim Students Association (PMIUM) President, Khairul Hisham, on how they would retaliate if the Memorandum was not accepted by the deadline.
Frustrated By Rohana Yusof's Failure To Respond, Protestors Set An Effigy Of Her On Fire To Represent The "Death of Democracy On Campus"
Frustrated students today torched an effigy of Universiti Malaya deputy vice-chancellor Rohana Yusof after she failed to respond to their demands to drop the charges against the “UM8".
malaysiakini.comAccording to Islamic Students Association (PMI) president Khairul Najib, the students also held placards, which among others read, ‘See you in court’ outside the chancellory building.
Khairol Najib said the burning of the effigy was symbolic of the “death of democracy on campus”.
thestar.com.myVice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin However Have Agreed To Meet With The Students To Discuss UM8
UM Islamic Students Association president Khairol Najib Hashim said vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin has given an assurance that he would be meeting with the Students’ Representative Council.
“We trust the council to represent us at the meeting and fight for the rights of the students who were unfairly charged by the university,” he said.
As such, UM vice-chancellor Mohd Amin Jalaludin will have a meeting with Universiti Malaya Students Association at 8pm tonight to "discuss the matter of UM8", Khairul Najib told Malaysiakini when contacted. "We hope the tonight's decision will favour the UM8," he said.
The Occupy UM Movement Will Cease For Now But Warns The University That They Will Take It To Court If The Meeting Produced An Unfavourable Verdict
Occupy Universiti Malaya (UM) will stop for now, but warned that they will take the matter to court if the outcome of a meeting with the university’s vice-chancellor is not in their favour.
“If the outcome (of the meeting) is not in our favour, we will take this issue to the courts,” he said.