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Malaysia Cracks Down On Lecturers Involved In Politics
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| Malay leader, Anwar Ibrahim, is currently serving a 15 year jail term |
By IOL correspondent in South-east Asia, Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA, Jan. 27 (IslamOnline) - Malaysia has launched a fresh crackdown on university lecturers involved in politics, Deputy Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, indicated yesterday.
The Minister said some lecturers were inciting their colleagues and students to oppose the government. He added that the government was aware of their activities and warned that police would take action.
Three lecturers were arrested last week for their alleged involvement in the Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM). Police said some 200 more people were suspected to be members of the KMM. Only 45 of them have been arrested so far.
“We don’t care where these people exist, be it in the jungle, big offices, the skyscrapers or the universities. We will act against them. However, the participation of these Muslim professionals in a militant group aimed at toppling the government is saddening,’’ he said Saturday.
Badawi was commenting on the arrests of University Teknologi Malaysia lecturers, Roshelmy Mohammad Sharif, Dr Abdullah Daud and Idris Salim whom police says are members of the militant KMM. The Minister added that the police were now investigating to find out whether the KMM ideology had spread to other universities.
“These people did not fully utilize their knowledge, instead they chose to join the
KMM to oust the government. Their arrest is not only a loss to the university but also the country because they could have used their knowledge to teach our children,” he said.
Badawi, who is also Home Minister, said the Malaysian government had taken numerous steps to develop the country and Malaysia was now one of the most developed Muslim nations. Malaysia has over 60 percent Muslims, a recent survey on population indicated.
“Attempts by some professionals including doctors, engineers and company managers to oust the government are regretful. They want to make Malaysia an Islamic nation although the government has taken steps to make it a developed Muslim nation. The government has done what these people aspire to do but we do it in a moderate way by taking stability into consideration,” he said.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has taken action against 16 lecturers so far for their involvement in political activities. Deputy Education Minister, Aziz Shamsuddin, said 11 lecturers had been issued with show-cause letters, one sacked, two were being investigated and another two barred from the university pending an investigation.
“It is a serious problem,’’ Shamsuddin said after opening a seminar at the university on Saturday. Several lecturers are said to have either joined the opposition Party Islam Se Malaysia (PAS) or expressed sympathy to the jailed Malay leader, Anwar Ibrahim.
Ibrahim is currently serving a 15 year jail term for sodomy and corruption. He denies the charges and accuses the Mahathir Mohamad regime of fabricating evidence against him.
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