Vigils: 14 arrests in KL, 10 in Kuching, one in Penang

 Democracy, Education and students' rights  6 Responses »
May 072009
 
Vigils: 14 arrests in KL, 10 in Kuching, one in Penang

Police moved in on the vigil in Penang – Photo by Romerz Fourteen people were arrested in Brickfields tonight at a vigil to express solidarity with activist Wong Chin Huat. Of the 14, seven of them were from the students’ movement Dema and two from the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall youth section. They are now at a car-park at the Brickfields police stations, though their statements have not yet been recorded. The arrests today come on the heels of 14 arrests last night (though that batch were later released). Over in Penang, USM masters student Ng Eng Kiat was detained after a “Democracy First” vigil in Penang attended by between 50 and a hundred people outside the Dewan Sri Pinang tonight. He was the emcee of the event.

Why our education system is in trouble

 Education and students' rights  40 Responses »
Apr 212009
 

The raging debate surrounding our education system seems to be over the medium of instruction for maths and science. Sadly, however, not enough attention is being paid to the content and approach we have adopted, which straitjackets and stifles young minds. Let me relate an anecdote told to me by the parents of a 11-year-old boy, J: J was asked by his school teacher to write a short karangan (composition) about a Malaysian hero he admires and to give reasons for his choice. The boy promptly penned a few lines about Anwar and Nizar and to support his choice, he said they had korban (sacrificed) a lot for the country, etc.

Three USM students detained for distributing leaflets

 Civil society, Democracy, Education and students' rights, Human rights, Malaysian elections  15 Responses »
Jan 052009
 

2330: Freed! The students have now been released. “The campus authorities probably realised that they would have as much difficulty in trying to justify the action against students for distributing leaflets as the cops did when they tried to detain under-age cyclists,” says one political observer. 2300: Three USM students were detained at 9.15pm while they were distributing leaflets in the campus. The three were bundled into a van apparently without any explanation and taken to the campus’ security department. The leaflets provided an introduction to the “Pro-Mahasiswa” group and a bit of publicity about the group’s appointment to meet the USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor tomorrow.  The students are believed to be preparing for campus elections expected to be held soon and are seeking free and fair campus elections. Bundling students into a van? Is this the way an “apex university” handles students’ affairs? Do they think they can rise up [Read more]

Page 13 of 13« First...910111213