First of all, I will like to say that I am of the opinion that university students should be allowed to participate political activities. I think the double standard where if you aren’t a university student you can participate is ridiculous to say the least.
But I also believe that there is always a time, place and method to protest. For those of you who are unaware, there was a street protest conducted by some UPSI student during the middle of the night on New Year’s Eve. In this situation, despite their good intentions, I am of the opinion the UPSI students was in the wrong.
This protest had take place in the middle of the night with no aim in mind. When you compare it to say the lawyer’s protest against the peaceful assembly act 2011, it is an embarrassment. I is the most unbecoming and distasteful forms of protest that I believe any authority in power should be given the right to stop.
Look at the video. What has occurred, all I see is a bunch of attention seeking students screaming on the top of their lungs in the middle of the night, they had no specific purpose in being there except to make noise, and again I stress in the middle to the night. There was a memorandum yes, but who exactly do you expect to deliver it to in the middle of the night when all the university offices is close? Heck, had it been a quiet candle light vigil instead of that, I would definitely say the authorities are in the wrong for halting the gathering.
But here, people are screaming in the middle of the night, the gates of the university was being banged and shake for whatever reason I do not know. The police appeared and attempted to talk to the leader of the protester to try solve the problem amicably. But what happens other students go on screaming and throwing insults like anjing and etc to the officers. And after trying and getting nowhere the police warns them to disburse. Yet they did not. Heck even when the officer came to talk to them they were already laying on the group refusing to move. It’s ok that you want to refuse and that you want to make it point or something or the other. But if you do that you shall be prepared for the consequences.
Instead what happened was, the students started to scream more and more trying make themselves look macho. Still the police it would seem made no attempts to approach the students as of yet. But then the protestors started climbing the gate of the university banging it again and again. When an officer attempts to restrain the one of the individuals at the gate, the boy started punching and kicking the office sparking other protestors to starting pushing the officer and behold, of course the other officers rushed to the aid of their fellow officer. Then start la. All this talk of pushing and punching and etc. Seriously, look at the videos, that is what has happened.
Come on la, rule number one of a peaceful protest, do not resist arrest. This was the SOP issued by Bar Council during the Bersih 2.0 Rally and also the peaceful assembly act 2011 protest. If you punch and kick a person of course you should expect to punched back. What, is the person supposed to take it lying down?
To me the police had conducted themselves professionally. The only bloat on their actions would probably be the clinic door and the dude with the injuries on his face. But then again we don’t know if that their fault because quite frankly the video does should it. It could also be that the protestors broke the clinic door, I don’t know (one of the articles on this issue suggest that is what happened). But what is clear the conduct of the protestors was deplorable. You my friends are doing us, university students no favours.
In fact I think you are hurting our cause, from this incident now, people can use this as an indication as to how it shows that university students aren’t mature enough for politics. And this is especially sad because you have people from not only the opposition but also the government who are trying to be AUKU repealed. Can you imagine the position you are putting people like Dato’ Saifuddin who even now is being alienated for his views in support of mahasiswa?
And seriously who is this Adam Adil fellow? From his tweet about him being almost dying (nazak) during the protest to suddenly the next morning at a press conference announcing he is suing the police. Quite honestly the whole incident revolving him from the first protest where he raise down the flag is stupid. It’s stupid that he did that. It’s stupid that there are BN fellows saying we should tampar and spit on him is equally stupid. Chill la people. Just because you have difference of opinions does not mean you can forget civility and courtesy.
But in my view, aside from those stupid comments about the tampar and spit on Adam, I say BN supporters have a right to be angry at him, think of it this way, say the Umno Youth organized a rally and march towards the main office of say PRK. Then during the rally they brought down the PKR flag even for 5 minutes and substitute it with an UMNO flag or even Najib’s Face. How would they feel? Freedom of express yes indeed is a right but with that right comes responsibilities.
What these people don’t seem to understand is that political activism does not start and end at street protest. There is a time, place AND method for everything. Street protest is only one of the methods that can be taken. And it can be effective and helps one’s goals but only if done properly.
And this was NOT done properly.
