KUALA LUMPUR: Three tertiary student councils have expressed objection to the proposed gathering here on Saturday by opposition political parties.
They are from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM).
UiTM Student Representatives Council (MPP) president Azraful Azman said the opposition parties should not create disorder by organising public rallies or street demonstrations if they sincerely wished to champion the people’s well-being and interests.
He said demonstrations and protests would inconvenience the public as well as jeopardise business.
“Look at the previous gatherings. What did they achieve? They only caused chaos and, if allowed to go on, will be detrimental to what we are enjoying,” he told Bernama yesterday.
Asked about the alleged opposition attempt to spark an ‘Arab Spring’ type of revolt, Azraful said it would be going to the extreme because the situation in Malaysia was far different from that in West Asian countries.
He said the opposition should realise that if an Arab Spring revolt occurred in Malaysia, there would be loss of lives and
damage to property, like in Syria now.
According to the United Nations, the conflict in Syria, which started in March 2011, had claimed more than 60,000 lives and turned thousands of Syrians into refugees.
UKM MPP president Ahmad Shukran Shaharudin said the people should think rationally and not cause chaos in the country.
“The government has provided everything. Why are there still quarters trying to provoke the people?” he asked.
UTeM MPP president Muhamad Noor Rushdan Abdullah said street protests were organised by people for their own vested interests.
He advised university students against participating in the demonstrations. — Bernama