Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim plans to defy a ban by his alma mater Universiti Malaya, and will attend and speak at an student-organised event there today.
The event, “40 Years: From UM to Prison”, organised by the Universiti Malaya Undergraduates Association (PMUM), would feature Anwar as they main speaker, but has been deemed illegal by UM deputy vice-chancellor of student affairs Dr Rohana Yusof.
The Malaysian Insider‘s Lee Shi-Ian reports that UM has called upon the police to place the entire campus on lockdown today, with PDRM officers taking over from campus security from 7am onwards.
From 4pm onwards, all entrances into UM will be closed except for the main Jalan Universiti gate, and students will be barred from gathering or loitering near the Dataran Dewan Tunku Canselor, where the event is scheduled to be held.
Rohana said the event was in violation of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, and that UM management did not issue an approval for it to be held.
23-year old PMUM president Fahmi Zainol has said that he was undeterred by the ban, and would carry out the event regardless of the consequences. He has been threatened with suspension or expulsion from UM.
“If they want to expel me, then go ahead. Let this be a lesson for the public on what is going on in universities and Malaysia,” he said.
“40 Years: From UM to Prison” is one of Anwar’s last speaking engagements before the final appeal to his sodomy case commences tomorrow. He is also scheduled to speak at a separate event in the Dewan MBPJ tonight.
