Warning from V.C.

The University of Malaya Vice-Chancellor Ungku Aziz warned new students that they must either abide by the rules and regulations of the university or "pack up and go home".

"You should obey the orders of your leaders, lecturers and officers", he said.

He was addressing 2,580 new students at the opening of an orientation week during which students had to take an oath. He added: "If there are any of you who are not prepared to accept the conditions of this oath, do not sign it. It would be better for you to return home and find some other career".

The Vice-Chancellor was obviously still haunted by the memory of the upsurges of the student movement which swept a number of major academic institutions in Malaysia in 1974-75.

How can we conceive such a statement if not for a deliberate motive to enforce a psychological pressure upon callow students? Such threats are reminiscent of the Japanese-occupied period when our parents were daily subjected to unscrupulous intimidations. Moreover, a statement of such nature happening to come out from the head of a University shows that the reign of terrorism over the country's academic life is no longer a disguised assault, It has become so entrenched and institutionalised that 'university autonomy' in Malaysia is virtually a foregone catchword, perhaps, useful only in beguiling the outside world.

The rules and regulations Ungku Aziz talked about are none other than those embodied in the Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act 1975, which was promulgated to subdue the students after the unrest in 1974-75.

Amongst the provisions, the UUCA 1975 in particular states that it is an offence for students or their organisations to even associate or have any dealing with any society, political party, trade union or any other orgainsation, body or group of persons whatsoever, even if they are lawfully established.

It is also an offence for students, and their organisations to say or do anything which may be "construed as expressing support, sympathy or opposition to any political party or trade union." It is therefore not far from reality to say that the precondition of becoming a student in a titulate college is the forfeiture of a basic democratic rights to be critical and speak out.

Ungku Aziz may not be happy or may have gone through a chain of sleepless nights during the events of past years. However, can the students be happy when psychological warfare was being assailed on them when they were just in a mood of pursuing an ambitious future?