UM students, want to get involved in politics? The time is now — Marcus Lee Min Lun

AUGUST 31 — When you put terms like “student activism” and “UK” in the Google search box or when you read about student union in the UK, nine out of 10 reads you’ll encounter articles on the student movements in the London School of Economics and Political Science (“LSE”) and their student union, the LSESU.

That’s how well-known it is. Now LSESU campaigns for almost everything, from fighting for student rights and welfare to any local, national and international issues. They successfully fought for more scholarships for international students and rent guarantor scheme for LSE students. Looking back, LSE’s student movements made international headlines numerous times. In 1969, “Free LSE” campaign was launched when two lecturers were suspended. The radical tradition continued for good reasons; in 1986, LSE students protested peacefully for seven days because LSE investment in Africa supported the apartheid regime. In 1989, LSESU protested against miscarriage of justice. Now there is a building in LSE just to accommodate thousands of students, it was a project that cost a few tens of millions. What I have mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg, and I found out all these in this wonderful morning on our Merdeka Day!

Coincidentally, our Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Legal Affairs Datuk Seri Azalina Othman graduated from LSE too! And this is what she said to students of the University of Malaya (“UM”) when she visited us, “But while you are students, you have to be selfish first”. And she also said, “Whatever happens outside is none of your business while you are in university. Your business is to graduate first”. I saw this online news on Merdeka eve.

I bet she studied real hard while she was in LSE.

Our minister also said university students “should always abide by the law and steer clear of political activities”. I am not making this up, anyone can go to NST Online news and find out more. She was also referring to the “Tangkap MO1” rally, which she vehemently disagrees with.

First of all, getting involved in political activities is not illegal. Second of all, participating in peaceful demonstration is perfectly legal. Article 10 of the Federal Constitution is the highest law in guaranteeing both these fundamental liberties. As a L.LM holder from LSE, DS Azalina should know better.

Look at the university students in UM now, they are all above 18; they are of the age of majority. They can enter into contracts. They can hold public office. They can marry, have children and become parents. They can sue and be sued. Now, much irony, we have a minister who goes into university to teach and brainwash the students, telling them not to get involved in politics and demonstrations or they will lose their right to education and future!

What is wrong with expressing support for a legitimate political party which conducts legitimate political activities? Does it affect public order and morality? I don’t think so.

For a functional democracy to happen, there must be active participation and discussion organised by the young minds; or civilization will just stagnate and die. Worse still, there will be people who are naively obeying the irrational advice of others. The students cannot be hugging textbooks on their beds in order to be informed citizens, they have to reach out to society and see for themselves; they must have meaningful political engagements in order to make informed political decisions. This is what democracy is all about.

Democracy is not like you can think, you can read, you can see but you cannot participate.

“Tangkap MO1” rally is not all about politics. It is an awakening youth movement which opposes corruption, bad governance, and the students are going down to the streets to voice against kleptocracy. This rally is about students who are concerned with the state of the economy in Malaysia; they are against abuse of power, they are upholding the rule of law; that everyone is equal under the law, including high-ranked public officials.

Yes I know, being called an undergraduate student allows us to resist the title of “adult” a tad longer. But don’t we all know, all good things must come to an end and we eventually have to face the reality.

Going into university is to prepare us for our future; distance yourself from politics means you are defeating the very purpose of being in the university. We do not go to university for four years to do cheers and conveniently get away with politics. Like it or not, at the end of the day the decisions made in Parliament will affect us who are going to graduate soon and will have to try to make a living out there.

Former Court of Appeal judge Dato’ Hishamudin Yunus simply put it so well in the case of Muhammad Hilman bin Idham v Kerajaan Malaysia & Ors, on paragraph 49, “In my opinion such a provision as s 15(5)(a) of the UUCA impedes the healthy development of the critical mind and original thoughts of students — objectives that seats of higher learning should strive to achieve. Universities should be the breeding ground of reformers and thinkers, and not institutions to produce students trained as robots. Clearly the provision is not only counter productive but repressive in nature.”

In my opinion, university students shall not bow down to any unfounded implied threat that if you engage in politics adversities may ensue thereafter. Instead, we should be able to think critically and decipher the motive behind these statements. Don’t live in a way people tell you to live, but live the way you want it to be; do not heed advice of politicians like a senseless chicken. As observed in Hamlet, “the lady doth protest too much, methinks”.

We can legally participate in political activities as our right to life as long as we are not doing it with M16 rifles in hand and a couple of C4 bombs in the pocket. All you need is a pair of Bata shoes and dress appropriately whenever you attend any peaceful political demonstration and discussion. Haha! I mean, seriously, nowadays they give free water, medical teams are always ready, and legal aid is just a phone call away.

* Marcus Lee Min Lun is a law student in the University of Malaya.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Malay Mail Online.