SW1M attack: Ambiga doesn’t give a fig

The Bersih chief is not bothered about being branded an anarchist but is perturbed by the brainwashing that takes place in universities.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga is not drowning in despair after being branded as an anarchist by Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) president Sharifah Zohra Jabeen.

The former Bar Council president, who had twice persuaded tens of thousands of Malaysians to take to the streets in demand of clean and fair elections, said that detractors had conferred upon her labels which were even less flattering in the past.

“I am not bothered about what the moderator [Sharifah] had branded me. It’s freedom of speech.

“Worse things have been said about me. I will just leave it to the public to decide. Very often, what people say reflects on them,” she told FMT.

Sharifah, a relatively unknown figure heading an equally obscure organisation, catapulted to infamy when a video of her berating a law student during a forum at Univeristi Utara Malaysia (UUM) went viral on the Internet.

Student KS Bawani had fielded questions regarding Bersih and free education, earning the wrath of the SW1M chief, who responded in a condescending manner and even snatched the microphone from the former.

Her attitude, her argument that animals too endured hardship and her remark that Bawani move to Cuba drew ridicule and brickbats.

‘Stop racist, sexist attacks’

Commenting on this, Ambiga urged the public to refrain from subjecting Sharifah to racist and sexist attacks.

“The public has already made their displeasure known but it doesn’t justify the attacks which are racist and sexist. It is totally unjustified. We must not stoop to such levels,” she said.

“In this case, the moderator should have set a good example but it looks like it was the student who did,” she added.

Ambiga also expressed concern about the oath (ikrar) which the students had to take at the forum and how Sharifah had treated Bawani.

Among others, the oath stated that the students would battle against subversive culture, street demonstrations and those who threatened peace.

The Bersih leader said this was evident of the brainwashing that took place in universities, adding that it was not the first time such cases had come to light.

“There should be a full investigation into such activities,” she added.

Ambiga was also disappointed with the reaction of the other students when Bawani was being reprimanded, but blamed the system for their attitude.

“Students are expected to be quiet when someone berates another student,” she said.

As for Bawani, the senior lawyer believes that the former had a bright future in the legal profession, given that she put forth her argument based on facts and law.

“She is an impressive and feisty young lady. She is just the kind of student that I hope our universities encourage,” added Ambiga.

MIC leader gives SW1M chief a backstroke

S Vell Paari says that Sharifah Zohra Jabeen lacks the 'mental evolution' needed to debate with law undergraduate KS Bawani.

PETALING JAYA: A MIC leader has launched a broadside against Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) chief Sharifah Zohra Jabeen, saying that the latter’s “mental evolution ranks below that of a parasite”.

“It will take the SW1M president another five million years to evolve to a stage that will allow her to debate with law undergraduate KS Bawani,” said S Vell Paari.

Sharifah drew brickbats after a 24-minute video of her patronising Bawani at a forum held at Universiti Utara Malaysia went viral on the Internet.

When Bawani had posed questions on free education and Bersih, Sharifah interrupted the undergraduate by saying “listen” and “let me speak” umpteen times to silence the law student.

She also snatched the microphone from Bawani and said that the undergraduate should move to another country if she wanted free education and added that even animals had problems.

However, Sharifah did not attempt to answer the questions posed by Bawani and her condescending attitude received applause from other undergraduates in the hall.

Vell Paari said that the younger generation now was more aware of the happenings around them and were becoming assertive.

“Gone were the days when students were uninterested in politics and were only concerned about cultural programmes. They are now talking about civil rights and a transparent government.

“Bawani is a good example of this. Instead of trying to suppress them, we should learn how to communicate with them,” he said.

The MIC leader also said that he was glad that students were becoming more enlightened, saying it would keep politicians on their toes at all times.

‘Apologise to Bawani’



Training his guns on Sharifah, Vell Paari said that the latter should apologise to Bawani for her behaviour.

He also said that Sharifah should have engaged Bawani with facts and figures instead of berating the undergraduate.

“If you can’t debate, walk away. Instead, Sharifah started comparing humans with animals. It’s very immature,” he added.

He also criticised Sharifah for telling Bawani to move to another country, reminding the SW1M president that the student was a Malaysian citizen as much as Sharifah.

“Former prime miniser Dr Mahathir Mohamad was eager to work closely with Cuba during his time. Going by Sharifah’s logic, should Mahathir be moving out to Cuba as well?” asked Vell Paari.

He also urged the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to keep tabs on those who were using the 1 Malaysia motto, saying irresponsible people might misuse it to tarnish the government’s image.

“Probably, the government should come up with a rule that anyone who wants to use the 1Malaysia motto must get the approval from PMO first.

“Just because one person creates a blunder using the 1Malaysia motto, the government gets blamed for it,” he added.

System failure


DAP leader and Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M Manoharan said that students must be allowed to speak out on issues without fear.

“Only then we would have good quality students. It’s sad to see how our tertiary institutions have become these days,” he said.

On students not coming to Bawani’s defence, Manoharan said that it reflected how the Malaysian education system had failed the students.

“I don’t blame the students. It’s our education system that instills a culture of fear in them. They fear that the institution may suspend or expel them if they come to her defence,” he said.

In a related development, Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general S Bharatidasan also urged Sharifah to tender a public apology to Bawani for her condescending attitude.

KS Bawani : FORUM SUARA MAHASISWA

Bouquets for Bawani, brickbats for Sharifah

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) law student and Jerit coordinator KS Bawani continues to receive bouquets of praise after her bruising verbal encounter with Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) chairperson Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin, who, on the other hand, is receiving brickbats all round.

A 24-minute video of Sharifah trying to browbeat Bawani during a forum at UUM last month went viral on Youtube last week, causing uproar amongst netizens and opening a floodgate of online jokes, as well as photos and videos poking fun at the SW1M chairperson.

Despite Bawani being from a PSM-linked NGO, support came from BN parties while Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin responded with tweets distancing the ruling coalition from Sharifah.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Saifuddin Abdullah also rushed to Bawani's defence, saying that Sharifah should not have talked down to the student.

Enterprising netizens have proposed that T-shirts be made featuring what has now become Sharifah's catchphrase "listen, listen, listen..." which was repeated 11 times in her rant against Bawani.

Some alleged that such incidents are happening due to the sorry state of Malaysian universities, like former Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin who lamented on micro-blog Twitter:

"(The) listen, listen, listen (incident) calls upon free souls to know that the situation must be changed immediately for the sake of intellectual independence."

Even Universiti Malaya's pro-establishment Aspirasi-dominated student council hit out at Sharifah, stating that while she spoke about respect, she forgot about not insulting others.

"I believe, if she wants to open the eyes of students, she needs to learn to open her own eyes and respect us," said its president Izham Ismail.

"I also believe, if animals like cats, sharks, cows and others can talk, they would ask her to stop acting like that," he said referring to Sharifah's argument that people should not complain so much as even animals have problems.

Izham cautioned that all must learn from the incident.

"Do not point the finger only at Sharifah. Maybe we all have weaknesses which require introspection. Our real enemy is not Sharifah, but the diminishing feel of respect and rational thought in ourselves."
'Arrogant attack'

MIC Youth labelled it as an "arrogant attack against a varsity student".

"She (Sharifah) is not fit, nor deserves to be a panelist, because of her unethical and improper actions," said its secretary C Sivarajah.

"First of all, Sharifah should be able to answer the questions posed by Bawani, and not attack her unnecessarily. She can talk about human rights but the big question is why she forgot about the student's rights.

"Just a reminder to Sharifah that students have their rights especially to express their views because they are also human beings and not like the animals she spoke on in the forum," continued Sivarajah.

The Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) noted that Bawani had a right to freedom of speech and expression, and Sharifah should have allowed Bawani to express her views at the forum.

"Sharifah's retaliation at Bawani by asking her to get out of the country was childish and altogether avoided a discussion on the weaknesses of the government's administration," said its secretary-general S Barathidasan in a statement.

PAS Youth deputy chief Raja Ahmad Iskandar Raja Yaacob praised Bawani's courage which he said should be emulated by all students who intended to be future leaders.

"At the same time, we regret that the forum organisers were not open to criticism. A panelist that only talks but does not want to listen only shows arrogance which is embarrassing to all."

Independent student group Kami, in a statement issued by president Khalid Ismath, echoed the sentiments of most groups, urging that Sharifah to openly apologise to Bawani.