What is wrong with critiquing the education system? Urging Police to stop harassing University of Malaya New Youth
[Joint Press Statement by Teoh Beng Hock Democratic Advancement Association and KLSCAH Youth, issued in Kuala Lumpur on 23 September 2025]
The Teoh Beng Hock Democratic Advancement Association (TBH-ADA) and the Youth Section of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall condemn the police for invoking Section 505(b) of the Penal Code (statements conducing to public mischief) and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (improper use of network facilities) to investigate University of Malaya New Youth’s call to “abolish the matriculation programme” and for summoning its president, Tang Yi Ze, to give a statement.
As a university student organisation concerned with the nation’s well-being and committed to reform, UMANY has long spoken publicly on political, economic, cultural and educational issues in Malaysia. This reflects the youth’s concern for national affairs and represents one of the best ways of contributing to the country through constructive discourse. Political leaders should welcome young people’s free discussion on the merits and flaws of education policies, upholding the spirit of free expression and embracing criticism and policy proposals—instead of silencing dissent through repressive measures.
The police, in their statement, claimed that UMANY’s declaration “may create negative perceptions of the education system, and trigger dissatisfaction and public panic.” This is a baseless accusation. If the police resort to draconian laws merely on the basis of malicious reports from a few individuals to target student leaders, this will undoubtedly fuel mob politics and infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed right of free expression.
We remind the “MADANI” government that when Pakatan Harapan leaders were in opposition, they openly called for the abolition of the Universities and University Colleges Act, the repeal of the Sedition Act, and condemned the Barisan Nasional government’s suppression of student organisations. Many advocates of the single-stream education system also frequently call for the abolition of multilingual stream schools. Do they not equally “create negative perceptions of the education system” and cause “dissatisfaction and panic”? The “MADANI” government must not apply double standards by singling out powerless students for punishment.
It is deeply ironic that Anwar Ibrahim—once a student leader himself—has, after becoming Prime Minister, allowed state apparatuses to suppress students’ freedom of expression. We urge Anwar’s MADANI government to pull back from the brink, stop harassing UMANY leaders, and restore to students the space to speak, to propose, and to criticise freely!
Ng Yap Hwa, Chairperson of Teoh Beng Hock Democratic Advancement Association
Wong Yan Ke, Chief of the Youth Section of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
评议教育制度何罪之有？ 促警方停止骚扰新青年
赵明福民主促进会与隆雪华青联合文告，2025年9月23日于吉隆坡发出。
赵明福民主促进会与隆雪华堂青年团谴责警方援引《刑事法典》第505(b)条文（破坏公共安宁）及1998年《通讯与多媒体法令》第233条文（不当使用网络设备或网络服务），对马大新青年“废除大学预科班”的言论展开调查，并传召该组织主席邓诒泽录供。
作为忧心社稷志在改革的大专组织，马大新青年长期对我国的政经文教课题公开建言，乃是青年忧天下之忧而忧，以言论建设和报效国家的最好体现。政治领袖应该乐见青年自由讨论教育政策之优劣，秉持言论自由精神欢迎各种批评和政策建议，而非用高压手段让异议噤声。
警方在文告中指出，马大新青年的声明“可能导致社会对教育体系产生负面观感，并引发不满及恐慌”，这是莫须有的指控。倘若警方仅仅根据几个人的恶意报案而援引恶法对付大专领袖，这无疑是助长群氓政治，侵犯公民的宪赋言论自由权利。
我们提醒“昌明”政府，希盟领袖在野期间发表过废除大专法令、废除煽动法令、谴责国阵政府打压大专组织的言论；许多单元教育制度的支持者，也常公开呼吁废除多源流学校制度；请问他们是否也造成对教育制度的负面观感，大众的不满和恐慌？请“昌明”政府不要双重标准，只拿无权无势的大专生开刀。
曾经是学生领袖的安华，登上首相之位后却纵容政府机关打压大专生的言论自由，这是何其讽刺。我们呼吁安华领导的“昌明”政府悬崖勒马，停止骚扰马大新青年的领袖，还大专生自由建言和批判的空间！
赵明福民主促进会主席 黄业华
隆雪华堂青年团团长 黄彦铬