Pro-students movement doesn't like Tun Mahathir remarks

The harsh remarks made by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the intention of a bunch of university students known as ‘Gerakan Mahasiswa PRU13’ (GM13) have drew negative feedbacks from pro-students movements.

Dr Mahathir, in an event in Universiti Teknikal Melaka on Saturday, said the group's intention to contest against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Pekan Parliamentary seat showed that they were never being grateful to the government who have always helped them in their education.

In fact, this group have also been dubbed as “biting the hand who feeds them”.

Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (GAMIS) Information chief Izaz Ismail, when contacted by Astro Awani, said that Tun Mahathir's judgement is quite unfair and he should know how to differentiate between the government responsibility and the overall student’s intention itself.

“The government's responsibility is to provide us with the good education including the great infrastructure and facility but the question here is we would like to see and achieve a new, fair and transparent administration in the country,” Izaz said.

Izaz added that, there are many issues that circling the government presently like power abuse, misuse of people’s money, scam, cronyism and corruption.

All that makes the public feel betrayed and wanted a new change in country’s administration.

“Therefore, we are the new wave of Malaysian youth representing the public in rejecting the Barisan Nasional and UMNO administration. The challenge on Pekan parliamentary showed that we never fear in facing the government,” he said. In his opinion also, it is unwise a person like Tun Mahathir labeling the students with that kind of remarks.

Meanwhile, for Persatuan Alumni Pemimpin Mahasiswa Aspirasi Malaysia (Aspirasi) president Mohd Shahar Abdullah said there is no problem for the student candidate to contest against Najib and in the upcoming General Election (GE) overall.

“What I can see here is it show the openness of the government in succeeding the democracy process. However, in my opinion, student should not involve with the politics especially in the GE13 because they had the biggest responsibility on their shoulder which is focusing on their studies,” said Mohd Shahar.

According to him, the remarks given to that group is actually true because to be a politician, they had to be ready and prepared mentally and had a credibility before helping the people.

“I can see that there is a hidden agenda on that group’s intention and for me, they are not representing overall student’s voices including me,” he said.

He also question how would this “rookie” competing in GE13 as they are actually have been rejected by their peers during the recent campus election.

“To be a people’s representative is a big responsibility. How would they managing the people as they, themselves can’t even managed themselves properly in the sense of education and time management. I just hope that they are not use by any political parties as ‘riding horse’ to achieve the parties goal,” he said.