Calls for UM vice-chancellor to resign over alleged racist remarks

Universiti Malaya Student Union vice-president Yap Wen Qing has hit out at UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim for making an allegedly racist statement at yesterday's Malay Dignity Congress

In a statement today, he called on Rahim (above) to apologise to all Malaysians and resign because he had not solved problems at the UM campus.

Yap alleged that at the congress, Rahim said the transition of power on May 9, 2018 (from BN to Pakatan Harapan) had eliminated Malay political dominance while the privileges of the Malays were also being questioned.

Rahim had also allegedly said the congress was held to warn others not to challenge the social contracts, claimed Yap.

"We criticise the vice-chancellor for making racist remarks, while at the same time as one of the top university leaders in Malaysia, he is unable to solve the financial crisis and the welfare of students.

"Although UM is a university of multiracial and religious students, our vice-chancellor has not been able to unite students and the rest of Malaysia with values that are of a simple and universal nature, and protect the university from threats by the political agenda of the administrators," he added.

Yap claimed that every residential college was forced to send Malay students to attend the congress.

"This is an act that threatens the autonomy of a student.

"This is because every student on campus has the right to explore a wide range of philosophies and ideas, they should not be dictated to follow specific narratives by the university.

"We are deeply saddened by the failure of Universiti Malaya to uphold the values of Malaysia," said Yap.

"We demand that all political leaders who made racist remarks during the Malay Dignity Congress to apologise to all Malaysians, and we also urge the UM vice-chancellor to resign over his racial slurs and his failure to manage the campus," he added.