Despite ban, Anwar speaks to students at UM BY LEE SHI-IAN AND MUZLIZA MUSTAFA Published: 27 October 2014 Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim addresses the crowd that has gathered at Universiti Malaya to hear him speak. Determined Universiti Malaya (UM) students and supporters ensured that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was able to enter his alma mater tonight to address a crowd of about 2,000 people. A crowd of about several hundred people earlier forced open the universitys main gate at its Kuala Lumpur/Bangsar entrance and had marched onto the campus grounds to wait for Anwars arrival. Once inside the campus, the crowd swelled as students from the hostels came to join the event. Anwar was there to speak at the event 40 years: From UM to Prison organised by the elected student body, the UM Undergraduates Association (PMUM). Earlier, the universitys security closed off all three entrances and barred entry to all vehicles as the UM administration had declared the event illegal. The UM administration also allowed staff to clock off earlier at 4pm today, citing electrical issues as the reason. However, two of The Malaysian Insider reporters were inside campus buildings until 6pm with no apparent electricity issues. After university staff had left the campus grounds and returned home, UM security personnel closed the Kuala Lumpur entrance to all vehicles and redirected all incoming and outgoing traffic to the Petaling Jaya entrance. Despite the UM administration declaring the event illegal, Anwar has said he would attend, ticking off the universitys management and telling it to grow an intellectual spine. PMUM president Fahmi Zainol, a government-scholarship student, had also dared the university to expel him and said he would proceed with tonights event. Fahmi earlier today said that UM still refused to give consent for the event despite him meeting with the vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin this afternoon. Live updates: 10.28pm: Anwar ends his speech and leaves the Dewan Tunku Canselor square. The crowd starts walking along with him towards the gate. 10.04pm: The crowd cheers as Anwar starts speaking. 9.51pm: Total darkness around the Dewan Tunku Canselor square where Anwar is due to speak. Not even street lights are on. It appears that the event organiser brought in a separate light source. 9.49pm: The crowd is now estimated to be about 2,000 in number. 9:47pm: At an anti-Sedition Act dinner at Dewan Sivik MBPJ in Petaling Jaya, the emcee has announced that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who were both at the dinner, will be heading to UM to join Anwar. 9.41pm: Anwars wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah are seen with him in the truck. Student leader Fahmi Zainol is also with them. Some in the crowd begin chanting Hidup, hidup, mahasiswa! Hancur, hancur kezaliman! 9.40pm: Anwar arrives in a black pickup truck. He waves to the students who cheer. The truck moves slowly towards the square outside Dewan Tunku Canselor. 9.36pm: A student leader announces that Anwar is due to arrive soon. The situation looks under control although the crowd has swelled. There is no sign of the police. 9.31pm: Student leaders begin addressing the crowd inside the campus grounds. Singing and chanting continue. The number of students is growing as those from the hostels have joined the crowd. 9.22pm: Crowd is told that Anwar is arriving in 5 minutes. 9.20pm: Students march through the Kuala Lumpur/Bangsar gate. They are changing Hidup Mahasiswa!. They have walked through the gate and are heading towards the Dewan Tunku Canselor Square. 9.18pm: The gate opens. The crowd has grown more aggressive and has managed to push it open. 9.08pm: Students take turns to address the crowd, keeping the mood up while waiting for Anwar to arrive. This is the peoples university, one said. 9.01pm: Someone in the crowd starts criticising UM for asking its staff to leave at 4pm earlier today over electricity problems. How can UM claim to be the number one university in Malaysia? How can it be acting in accordance with the Federal Constitution if it does not allow DSAI to enter? 8.57pm: Crowd starts singing student songs, including thanking UM. Crowd now about 600 to 700 strong and includes onlookers. There are no police in sight. 8.49pm: UM Law lecturer Dr Azmi Sharom spotted among the crowd. 8.48pm: The UM management is now opening a side entrance to allow students from campus to exit. 8.39pm: A representative from Persatuan Kebangsaan Islam Malaysia named Fazril Saleh says: What we are doing is not an offence. Please allow the students to gather. 8.37pm: There are two separate crowds on the campus grounds with one directly at the KL gate and another slightly further away as UM security personnel push back the perimeter by setting up barriers about 200m from the KL gate. They still refuse to open the main gate. 8.36pm: A commotion in front of UMs Kuala Lumpur/Bangsar gate as students try to break it open. 8.32pm: The crowd is now about 500-strong on both sides of the Kuala Lumpur/Bangsar entrance. This number includes those gathered on the outside, as well as students on the inside who are not allowed to leave. The PKR truck has been re-parked in front of this gate. Students start crying Bangkit! Bangkit! 8.30pm: PKRs Johari Abdul attempts to talk to the deputy vice chancellor to open the gates, but seems to be ignored. Student activist Safwan Anang is seen in the crowd. 8.27pm: The crowd has swelled to about 400 despite the rain. 8.24pm: Students begin shouting Buka! Buka! at the front gate. PKR leader Datuk Johari Abdul, the Sungai Petani MP, arrives. He is also an UM alumnus. 8.22pm: There is a small commotion in front of the gate as students from inside the campus try to get out. 8.20pm: PMUM president Fahmi Zainol is now negotiating to allow the crowd to enter the campus. The UM deputy vice chancellor of education is also present. A small sea of umbrellas opens as the rain gets heavier. 8.15pm: Students from the hostels in UM are barred from leaving the campus. They are gathering in front of the gate blocked by UM guards. 8:12pm: The crowds seek shelter as the drizzle gets heavier. PKR staff still trying to sort out the sound system. The PKR pick-up is parked in front of the UM Kuala Lumpur/Bangsar gate. 8.04pm: Students from UKM, UiTM and the host UM among the crowd in front of the gate. Khalilah Ismail, 22 says that she is here to listen to what Anwar has to say and prefers to hear from him in person rather than reading other sources. 8.04pm: A light drizzle has started. A man appears to be setting up a sound system on the PKR pick-up truck. 8:02pm: Crowd swells to about 200. They are moving towards the main UM gate at the Kuala Lumpur entrance as they follow a PKR pick-up truck. They are gathering around the truck wanting to know if Anwar is in the vehicle. 7:57pm: Five students from HELP University are also at the gathering. This is our country and we want to know what is happening.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 15:38:06 +0000
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