Education Minister Maszlee Malik said his ministry respects universities’ autonomy and will not get involved in civil engineering student Wong Yan Ke’s lone protest case at Universiti Malaya’s (UM) convocation ceremony.
“The prime minister has said that the university can handle this issue on its own and does not need the government to interfere.
“I have told my deputy, Teo Nie Ching, that we will not get involved.
“We will only mediate if both parties agree,” he said this after officiating the International Islamic University of Malaysia’s student council at its Gombak campus yesterday.
Wong, a civil engineering student, had carried a placard on stage during his convocation ceremony on Oct 14 demanding the resignation of UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim for getting UM involving in organising the recent Malay Dignity Congress.
UM later lodged a police report against Wong, accusing him of tarnishing the university’s image as well as disrupting convocation protocols. Wong was later asked to give his statement to police. – FMT