PR leaders in solidarity with UM8

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders will hand over a protest note to the Universiti Malaya management next week, demanding that the punishment meted out to the eight UM students be dropped immediately.

In a joint statement, Kuala Krai MP Dr Hatta Ramli and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said together with Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, they will gather other PR MPs to hand over the protest note.

They said they will be joining in solidarity the students who have camped in front of the UM until the punishments are dropped.

The duo said the UM management should be focusing on improving the quality of education and graduates of the university and not on curbing the students’ activities.

Rafizi who will be camping with the students on Sunday beginning 11pm and has invited other activists to take turn in doing so until the punishments are dropped.

Student leader Fahmi Zainol has been slapped with nine fines by the University Malaya authorities for organising the ‘40 years: From UM to Prison’ on Monday.

He has been charged under the Universities and University Colleges Act for organising the event which featured Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

UM, in an official statement, stated that the decision was made in accordance to the University of Malaya (Discipline of Students) Rules 1999.

Last night, several UM students had set up camps at the campus, protesting the punishment meted out at the UM's eight students.