KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Universiti Malaya (UM) has issued a letter to staff barring them from organising political activities locally and abroad amid growing activism in universities.

According to the UM administration’s purported letter posted by UM Department of Development Studies senior lecturer Dr Lee Hwok Aun on Facebook, the management of Malaysia’s oldest university views “any behaviour, conduct and action that affects Malaysia’s sovereignty and dignity seriously”.

“It is an obligation of all UM staff, at all times, to give their allegiance to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the country, the government and Universiti Malaya,” read the letter undersigned by the university’s registrar, Yusoff Musa.

The letter was distributed to all deans, academies, faculties, heads of departments and head of university’s residential colleges as well as deputy registrars.

It was also states staffers who are on study leave, vacation or attending seminars or courses locally or outside the country are advised to abide by Section 5 of the Statutory Bodies (Discipline and Surcharge) Act 2000, to ensure that UM’s interest is not affected.

The provision deals with discipline of officers of a statutory body.

“... also they are encouraged to not participate actively as organisers in any political activity,” added Yusoff in the letter.

The university made headlines in October last year for punishing seven of its students for organising a talk featuring Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Last month, a UM inquiry panel decided to suspend students Fahmi Zainol and Safwan Shamsuddin over the talk held on October 27, a day before Anwar’s second sodomy trial.

The suspension order, however, came just weeks before the youths’ final examination.

Fahmi, who was previously Student Council (PMUM) president and the main driver of the talk, was suspended for two months while Shamsuddin, the Pro-Mahasiswa chairman, was suspended for one month. Both were also slapped with fines of RM600 and RM300 respectively.

Of the eight students slapped with charges over their involvement in the “40 Years: From University of Malaya to Jail” talk with Anwar, who is also the university’s alumnus, only one, Abraham Au, walked free from punishment.

Apart from Fahmi and Safwan, four were fined RM150 each, namely PMUM vice-president Haw Yu Hong, secretary-general Nur Syamimi Munirah, Adam Fistival Wilfrid and Khairul Anwar.