Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Corruption: Starting Young

Want to learn to ropes in engaging in "money politics" to advance one's personal interest? Take part in the student council elections in our local Universiti Malaya (UM) as an "pro-establishment" candidate and you'd be in for a treat.

In an exclusive report by Malaysiakini, it was exposed that "scores of university students were booked into a four-star hotel in Petaling Jaya last weekend as part of a gratuitous gesture by the government."
Malaysiakini was able to verify that the students checked into the Crystal Crown Hotel on Sunday. They later dined at the hotel restaurant. Thirty-two rooms - including several located on the highest level known as the ‘executive summit floor’- were booked.
And who paid for the bill which was in excess of RM5,000? None other than the office of the "semuanya OK" menteri besar of Selangor, i.e., the taxpayers' money. What's the relation between the campus elections in UM and the state of Selangor? None. So what's this? Outright abuse of public offices.

In addition, it was alleged that a "character-building" Entrepreneurship workshop was organised by UM administration on Sept 12-13 at the Pearl International Hotel, Kuala Lumpur mainly for the pro-government faction, including those shortlisted as candidates.
UM deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Prof Dr Mohd Razali Agus and other officials , including from Umno Youth, were also present. In all public universities, these deputy vice-chancellors double as the election committee chairperson.
Isn't this akin to election commission officials giving "secret" briefings to election candidates from certain parties, demonstrating contempt of the electoral processes?

And why are officials from political parties involved in these sessions? Based on the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA), isn't the university officials, and possibly the students themselves in breach of the Act which prohibits political participation and be subjected to expulsion from the university?

For goodness' sake. This is a students', and I emphasize again, students' elections. Why shouldn't they be given the chance run a simple, honest, unbiased and democratic elections? Why instead, are we taking the opportunity to corrupt the minds of our future leaders by using unjust and underhand tactics? Is it so that when they grow up, they can get used to the same culture as the current "pro-establishment" political organisations?

Datuk Rafiah Salim, you spoke well during your extensive interview with the Sun, as highlighted here on this blog. Are you aware of the shennigans going on in your university, orchestrated by your deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Prof Dr Mohd Razali Agus? Are you in agreement with his actions or are you who we'd like you to be as per your interview?

For the sake of the future of our youth, and our nation, stop corrupting our young and destroying our future.

Check out the earlier blog post on campus elections, here and here.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Tony,

Your posting about student election only focused on so called "pro-establishment" candidates. How about the so called 'anti establishment' candidates? Any news about them so that we can make fair comments on this posting.

Anonymous said...

Frankly I doubt if Rafeah Salim doesnt know about the four star hotel, for all you know it could be with her blessings!
Come on Tony.....dont be so gullible! That interview is just another interview. I thought you know how politicians talk..
You said it yourself as she being quoted as not to compromise national agenda...
sometimes tony, you can be so innocent,,,

Anonymous said...

agree with ah piau. when I was a student (this in 90's) both pro- and anti-establishment candidates are supported "invisibly" by political parties. don't think the situation has change much since then.

Anonymous said...

The dangers of such corruption is that these young minds who should be challenged intellectually about their ideas that forms the basis of their life-long opinions and ideas. Much of them are just untrue and they will later not listen to any reasoning. Fundamentally, they will believe in migh t is right and the only thing that will affect their behaviour is just might. These are people that will create bring everyone down if they lose power

Nandre The Legend said...

stop corrupting...
stay free

Anonymous said...

Hi tony, been reading your blog for some time. Just wanna let you know, I'm a UPM student & we just had our so-called "flawless" election this morning, and guess what? The whole UPM server was down for 3 hours with thousands of students stuck at every voting booth. Possible SOME people tampering with the server? Hmm... very fishy.

Anonymous said...

re comment above..so easily server down..& for so long..then how to implement elearning ?

just curious..

Anonymous said...

Knowing that the election is flawed, what the heck are the students still going to the polling booth!?

Guess people are people! Give them " shi*" knowing it is "shi*" they still eat the "shi*"

res ipsa loquitor

Anonymous said...

I'm a student of UKM and allow me to make a few comments about the student elections:

Anon: We go to the polling booths because it's compulsory to vote, or we might face "difficulties" in securing a room for the next semester. They tell us that our vote is confidential, but our ballots have serial numbers and it is taken down by the officials before we cast our votes.

Generally, any printed media by the opposition is labelled "haram", and we face disciplinary action if found in possesion of them. Everywhere it is printed how good Aspirasi (pro-establishment) is, and how the Opposition is losing its shine. I don't deny both sides has its good and bad, but it's unfair to allow only one voice to be heard and clamping down on the other.

And let's not forget the establishment of Kelab Aspirasi - which acts as the lobby club, which goes into full swing during elections to promote Aspirasi candidates and watch out for the risalah "haram". And the Pengetua kolej will suddenly have a friendly dialogues session a few days before election. We are told to make the right thinking choice, and not to simply give in to our hearts and emotions while voting.

If all these don't smack of unfairness, I don't know what else does.

Anonymous said...

hi,
just to say that i was a student of um (mid 90s), and out of the 2+3 years that i was there, i never once voted in campus elections. it's a big joke. i look at the candidates (some whom i know as coursemates) and see mediocre students scraping by with a 2.3+ CGPA as role models. these are the types of students that i'm supposed to vote for?!? what a load of bullsh*t!

Anonymous said...

To Anon Fri Sep 22, 04:55:55 PM

CGPA Requirement

Notice u raised about CGPA of the candidate during your time. However when certain Uni set the requirement of CGPA 3.00 some people said its against democracy...

Extortion

Do u really think this is extortion? Well, it cost a lot to print posters for candidates. what more if they run for general seats. Some more I think it will avoid 'suka-suka mau masuk'. RM 300 for protest .... why so high ha? I think it will avoid those 'suka-suka mau protest one'.


Any comment??

Anonymous said...

HOT NEWS!

UM ELECTION FOR FACULTY OF LAW TO BE REDO AGAIN!
PROBABLY CASE OF "PHANTOM VOTERTITIS"

Anonymous said...

Take home message for all of us: Even for campus elections, the UMNO-led government went all out to destroy candidates considered to be against the adminstration by using all kinds of dirty tricks and threats, as well as 'money or incentive politics'.

Do you think the UMNO-led government does not use money politics and dirty tricks in the recent Mahathir-bashing election or during the GE?