Engage instead of crying 'blue murder', don tells Umno Youth chief

Engage instead of crying 'blue murder', don tells Umno Youth chief

Published: May 24, 2024 3:30 PM


Another academic has responded to Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s clarion call against Malaysiakini columnist, Andrew Sia, over the latter’s article on Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Zaharom Nain, a professor of media and communication studies, said those who disagree with the contents of the article should provide an alternative account.

“Sia set the cat among the pigeons by writing a polemical opinion piece, as most of these pieces tend to be.

“We, in turn, ought to see it in that light and, if we feel strongly against his opinion, engage him, challenge him with an alternative account. This is the way of civilised discourse by mature individuals.

“We shouldn’t go screaming blue murder and make threats and police reports because that is the infantile, cowardly way of bullies, thugs and hooligans,” he added.


A more pertinent question

Zaharom also urged Akmal (above) to train his focus on a more pertinent question.

“In this regard, people like Akmal should really channel their energies and concerns to the question of why, after 53 years of the NEP (New Economic Policy), and despite institutions like UiTM, bumiputera still make up the majority of B40?

“How much really has he done all this while for the poor Malaysians that are still around?

“Ironically, he and his ilk are the ones desperately trying to get his former boss out of prison for committing the heinous crime of stealing millions, possibly billions, from us all,” he added in reference to former premier Najib Abdul Razak.

Calling on Umno Youth members to lodge police reports nationwide, Akmal said Sia’s description of UiTM as an “apartheid academy” was “insolent and hurtful”.

Demanding an apology from Sia and for Malaysiakini to retract the article, the politician, who cited the existence of vernacular schools, said the writer and his family would not have received an education if apartheid was practised in the country.

Earlier, another academic, Tajuddin Rasdi, noted how the term “apartheid” is used to describe discriminatory policies in general.

“When someone uses a word, it has a specific meaning.

“But when we add to it and make assumptions about the word, then it becomes something big,” he said.