Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli says students must be free to criticise corruption, abuse of power and leaders without fear of punishment.
PETALING JAYA: Criticism of corruption, abuse of power and the defence of wrongdoing should not be viewed as a threat, Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim said.
In a statement today, he was responding to remarks by Universiti Malaya (UM) student Ummi Umairah Bakhit that went viral following a forum organised by the Higher Education Ministry (KPT) recently.
Adam Adli described her views as “fair comment”, saying they should serve as an important reminder to those entrusted with leadership.
“Democracy demands more than the freedom to speak. It also demands the willingness to listen, even when what is heard is unpleasant,” he said.
Ummi Umairah’s question, which attracted widespread attention on social media, touched on the Tabung Haji controversy and a public donation drive to help former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak pay his RM50 million fine.
She asked how future leaders should be guided to speak up against corruption and feudalism.
The dialogue also featured former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
Adam Adli said campuses must remain vibrant spaces for the exchange of ideas, debate and the freedom to disagree, in line with the positions previously expressed by the Higher Education Ministry and the government.
“Students should not be moulded into obedient followers, but independent-minded citizens who can assess, challenge and question,” he said.
He added that KPT would continue, within its responsibilities and jurisdiction, to protect students’ freedom of speech and opinion in keeping with intellectual maturity, scholarly tradition and democratic values.
Adam Adli also stressed that the issue should not be drawn into partisan politics.
“The principle of free speech should not change depending on who is in power or who is receiving the criticism,” he said.
He said criticism, including criticism of leaders in the current government, should not be treated as an offence or grounds for action against students.
“The courage of students to speak is nothing leaders should fear. What is more worrying is when campuses lose the courage to ask, and leaders lose the willingness to listen,” he added.