KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 14 reports have been lodged with the police over the contentious opinion piece by Malaysiakini columnist Andrew Sia, who recently labelled Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) as an “apartheid academy”.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said as of 6pm yesterday, there were already 14 reports lodged.
An initial check by the police found that the article was uploaded on the news portal at about 10.30am on May 22.
“Checks showed that this was a follow-up to the #MahasiswaUiTMBantah campaign which was organised by students at UiTM Shah Alam on May 14 and 15,” he said in a statement.
The police will reach out to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to obtain details of the writer to assist the investigation.
Sia earned a rebuke from Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who said the article was defamatory and incendiary to the point of undermining national unity.
Umno’s women chief Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad also said Malaysia has enough tertiary institutions for students of all races.
Meanwhile, Umno Veterans Club secretary-general Datuk Mustapha Yaakub said the article was “stupid” and that Sia was “ignorant”. – May 24, 2024