By Patrick Lee
Najib avoids UIA visit and protesting students,
sending Hishammuddin in his stead.
PETALING JAYA: Student activists
are shocked over Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s decision to call off his
International Islamic University (UIA) visit tonight in favour of attending a
Saudi prince’s funeral.
According
to Malaysian University Student Solidarity Movement (SMM) chairman Ahmad Syukri
Abdul Razab, Najib’s change of plans was an act of cowardice.
“Najib is
afraid of the pressure after being challenged by university students,” he told
FMT.
SMM and
other student activist groups had intended to hand over a memorandum to the
prime minister over the suspension and subsequent investigation of UIA law
expert Abdul Aziz Bari.
Citing
inside information, Ahmad Syukri said that the prime minister had cancelled his
UIA visit to attend the funeral of Saudi crown prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al
Saud, who passed away on Oct 22.
“It’s just
an excuse, but we will still hand over our memorandum to whomever is replacing
the prime minister.”
Ahmad
Syukri revealed that Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein would go to UIA tonight
in place of Najib.
He also
said that the university had allegedly spent about RM100,000 to prepare for
Najib’s attendance.
Hundreds of
university students gathered in UIA last Friday following Aziz’s suspension.
Calling the move “tyrannical”, the students accused the university of pleasing
political forces.
In an Oct
12 Malaysiakini article, Aziz claimed that it was not wrong to criticise
royalty. He also commented on the Selangor Sultan’s decree on the Damansara
Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) row with the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department
(JAIS).
Although
suspended at first, Aziz’s suspension was lifted by the university.
Nevertheless, investigations against the professor are still ongoing.
Source : FMT
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