Uitm Students In Kkk Attire Showed Poor Judgement Says Expert

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 Aizat Shamsuddin says such topics need to be presented carefully and within proper contextual frameworks to avoid harm or misunderstanding.
UiTM Dengkil students have come under criticism for parading on campus in robes similar to those worn by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as part of an assignment recently.
PETALING JAYA: Experts say Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Dengkil students demonstrated insensitivity and poor judgement when parading on campus in robes similar to those worn by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as part of an assignment.
Aizat Shamsuddin, founder of the Initiative to Promote Tolerance and Prevent Violence (Initiate.MY), said any discussion about the American extremist group without context may inadvertently glorify or normalise hate groups, especially when visual symbols, such as the infamous KKK robes, are used without proper explanation.
The KKK, founded in the 19th century, is notorious for its history of lynchings, violence and white supremacist behaviour in the US.
Aizat Shamsuddin.Aizat said the modern-day KKK has also been linked to attacks on Muslims and other minority groups in the West, making the topic even more delicate.
He said such ideologies, especially in academic settings, must involve experts.
“They need to present these topics carefully and within the proper contextual frameworks to avoid misunderstanding or harm.”
Clips of UiTM students in white robes and pointed hoods mimicking the KKK went viral on social media earlier this week, sparking outrage and widespread condemnation online.

The university has defended the students, saying the activity was conducted within “an academic framework”.
Sepang police chief Norhizam Bahaman said the police were investigating the video, which featured a reenactment of the “historical oppression of the black community in the US by the extremist KKK”. He said the video is believed to have been aimed at fostering an understanding of racial discrimination and how laws were enacted to address it.
Based on the assignment brief seen by FMT, the “social project” formed part of the Contemporary Global and Legal Issues subject taken by students in the university’s foundation law programme.
They were required to choose a topic from one of three categories: crimes against humanity, human rights and liberties, or environmental issues.
Tajuddin Abdullah.Speaking to FMT, retired professor Tajuddin Abdullah questioned the purpose of the assignment, stating that the KKK, while historically significant in the US, had no direct relevance to Malaysia.
Tajuddin, a UiTM graduate himself, said the Israeli occupation of Gaza would have been a more relevant topic for students to delve into, given it had a “real and current connection” to Malaysia’s foreign policy and public sentiment.
“If the aim is to teach about racism or extremism, why not use examples that Malaysians can relate to or those that carry legal and moral implications here?” said Tajuddin.
Tawfik Ismail.Former MP Tawfik Ismail said while the students might have been trying to highlight the different types of racism that existed, their message ended up creating confusion.
He raised a hypothetical scenario in which students dress as Al-Qaeda fighters to make a point about Islam or violence.
“Does that really prove a point, or does it just provoke people,” he asked. - FMT

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