Um Student Body Gets Show Cause Letter For Talk On Hong Kong Taiwan

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An application by the student body to hold a second talk tomorrow within campus ground on nationalism in China has been rejected by Universiti Malaya.PETALING JAYA: A coalition of student associations in Universiti Malaya has been issued a show-cause letter by the higher institution of learning after organising a talk on social movements in Hong Kong and Taiwan last month
Suara Siswa UM spokesman Liew Liang Hong said the talk, titled “Sunflower and Umbrellas Revisited Talk”, was neither sensitive in nature nor a threat to national security
“In fact, a representative from UM had attended the talk that night and there was no complaint,” he told reporters
However, Liew said, two weeks ago, the university’s student representative council (MPPUM) received a show-cause letter regarding the programme
According to the letter, MPPUM had to explain why the talk organised was different from the programme that had been approved
It also stated that the organisers failed to obtain the green light before inviting Taiwanese lecturer Ho Ming Sho to give the talk
Liew said they were now finding it difficult to find another venue for their second talk — scheduled to take place tomorrow — on nationalism in China. Their application to hold it within the campus has been rejected
Liew also claimed that the excuse given in rejecting their application was irrational
“They said they could not approve any programme which is held after office hours, yet many events have been held before this at night.”They now have to hold it outside the university grounds
FMT is trying to reach UM’s deputy vice-chancellor for Student Affairs and Alumni Division, Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, for comment. - FMT

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