[SRC IIUM] In Response on Bawani KS's Issue..

Bismillah wal Hamdulillah.

Recently, we are overwhelmed by the incident occurred in one of the universities in Malaysia in which a student’s right in speech was deprived during Student Forum held in University Utara Malaysia (UUM), Sintok, Kedah.

Bawani KS, a Law student from University Utara Malaysia not only has her right denied when the microphone she was using was averted from her but also, she was mortified in front of the audience by the President of 1 Malaysia’s Women’s Voice, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen.

We, Students’ Representative Council of IIUM felt really disappointed to witness a Higher Institution student to be treated as such. Students are future leaders. Supposedly, a student’s opinions must be heard and respected despite the difference in ideologies. Hence, we are determined to:

1) Despise the act of humiliating Bawani KS in front of the mass by ridiculing Bawani KS’ questions and abstains her to speak.

2) Even though Bawani KS posed questions and opinions in a relatively emotional state, an educated person like Puan Sharifah should have handled this situation with manners, not by refraining Bawani from speaking (the microphone she was using was averted from her).

3) “LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN” were the words uttered by Puan Sharifah displaying her ego and arrogance, refusing to listen to other’s opinions. Supposedly, Puan Sharifah should have listened to Bawani KS’ questions and opinions first before interrupting her.

4) It is inappropriate for Puan Sharifah to refute comparison between Malaysia and other countries while at the same time she made a comparison between man and animal which does not make sense at all.

One of the characteristics of a triumphant servants of Allah is they attained the title (‘ibaid ar-Rahman) i.e. those who utter good words. As Muslim students we would like advise Puan Sharifah to ponder upon the Quranic verse in surah al-Furqan : 63 which means: The (true) servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth who, when the ignorant people behave insolently towards them, say,"Peace to you".

We hope that this occurrence will never happen again. Hence, we urge Puan Sharifah Zohra Jabeen to make a statement of apology openly not just Bawani KS only, but to all students in Malaysia as her action has hurt the feelings of many students in Malaysia.

Siti 'Aishah Jauhara binti Surtahman,
Vice President 3,
Students’ Representative Council 2012/ 2013,
International Islamic University Malaysia.