Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) should remain a Malay-only institution, said its pro-chancellor, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Rahman Arshad.
Tan Sri Dr Rahman was responding to a call by DAP's Teluk Intan by-election candidate, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, for equal access to public institutions of higher learning in Malaysia.
Tan Sri Dr Rahman argued that UiTM was set up based on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and stressed that Bumiputera privileges should not be questioned.
This is clearly a move by DAP to court the Chinese voters who are said to be divided as to whether to vote for DAP or Barisan Nasional in the by-election. However, to touch sensitive matters such as UiTM and Article 153 of the Constitution is a very risky strategy because this just turns the campaign into a Malay versus non-Malay contest.
Dyana Sofya had also earlier made a statement regarding the Islamic Sharia law of Hudud. In that statement, which Malaysiakini published on Youtube, Dyana Sofya indicated that she is opposed to Hudud, as this is her party’s stand.
Today she refused to comment on the matter, probably realising that her earlier comment was counter-productive.
An election or by-election is the platform and opportunity for candidates to explain their party’s policy and ideology to the voters. This is where you inform the voters as to what your party’s stand is. You cannot tell the voters you refuse to comment about this or that when asked because that would mean you are not being open and are hiding certain things from the voters.
If DAP is opposed to Article 153 and UiTM as a Malay-only institution, plus you is opposed to PAS pushing for Islamic laws, then this must be very clearly stated so that the voters will know the stand of the party they are being asked to vote for.
It is dishonest for the party to ask the voters for their votes but then refuse to tell the voters what their stand is regarding very sensitive issues like Article 153, UiTM and Hudud.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) should remain a Malay-only institution, said its pro-chancellor, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Rahman Arshad.
Tan Sri Dr Rahman was responding to a call by DAP's Teluk Intan by-election candidate, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, for equal access to public institutions of higher learning in Malaysia.
Tan Sri Dr Rahman argued that UiTM was set up based on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and stressed that Bumiputera privileges should not be questioned.
This is clearly a move by DAP to court the Chinese voters who are said to be divided as to whether to vote for DAP or Barisan Nasional in the by-election. However, to touch sensitive matters such as UiTM and Article 153 of the Constitution is a very risky strategy because this just turns the campaign into a Malay versus non-Malay contest.
Dyana Sofya had also earlier made a statement regarding the Islamic Sharia law of Hudud. In that statement, which Malaysiakini published on Youtube, Dyana Sofya indicated that she is opposed to Hudud, as this is her party’s stand.
Today she refused to comment on the matter, probably realising that her earlier comment was counter-productive.
An election or by-election is the platform and opportunity for candidates to explain their party’s policy and ideology to the voters. This is where you inform the voters as to what your party’s stand is. You cannot tell the voters you refuse to comment about this or that when asked because that would mean you are not being open and are hiding certain things from the voters.
If DAP is opposed to Article 153 and UiTM as a Malay-only institution, plus you is opposed to PAS pushing for Islamic laws, then this must be very clearly stated so that the voters will know the stand of the party they are being asked to vote for.
It is dishonest for the party to ask the voters for their votes but then refuse to tell the voters what their stand is regarding very sensitive issues like Article 153, UiTM and Hudud.
________________________
BOLEHKAH DYANA SOFYA MEMBERI REAKSI YANG JUJUR?
Oleh SSK
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) perlu kekal sebagai satu-satunya institusi Melayu, kata Pro Canselor Tan Sri Dr Abdul Rahman Arshad.
Tan Sri Dr Rahman mengulas gesaan calon DAP dalam pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Teluk Intan Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud agar peluang samarata diberikan kepada semua untuk memasuki institusi pengajian tinggi awam di negara ini.
Justeru itu, Tan Sri Dr Rahman berhujah bahawa UiTM ditubuhkan berdasarkan peruntukan Perkara 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia dan seterusnya menekankan bahawa hak atau keistimewaan Bumiputera tidak harus dipersoalkan.
Jelas sekali, ini merupakan taktik DAP untuk meraih sokongan pengundi Cina yang kini berada di persimpangan jalan sama ada menyokong DAP atau Barisan Nasional (BN) pada pilihan raya kecil itu. Bagaimanapun, strategi kempen yang menyentuh isu sensitif bakal mengundang risiko kerana kemungkinan ia akan merubah senario kepada persaingan Melayu lawan Cina atau bukan Melayu.
Sebelum ini, Dyana Sofya telah membuat kenyataan mengenai Hudud -- Undang-Undang Syariah Islam. Dalam kenyataan itu, yang Malaysiakini muatkan di Youtube, Dyana Sofya menunjukkan dia menentang Hudud kerana itulah pendirian parti yang diwakilinya.
Hari ini Dyana Sofya enggan mengulas mengenai perkara itu mungkin kerana menyedari komennya sebelum ini tidak memberi impak yang diharapkan.
Pilihan raya atau pilihan raya kecil merupakan platform dan peluang untuk calon-calon untuk menerangkan dasar dan ideologi parti mereka kepada pengundi. Disinilah mereka memperjelaskan kepada pengundi tentang pendirian parti. Mereka tidak sepatutnya memberitahu kepada pengundi "tidak mahu memberi komen" apabila ditanya tentang sesuatu perkara kerana ia bermakna mereka tidak bersifat terbuka dan menyembunyikan sesuatu perkara dari pengetahuan pengundi.
Jika DAP tidak bersetuju dengan peruntukan Perkara 153 dan UiTM sebagai sebuah institusi Melayu, dan menentang usaha PAS menggunapakai undang-undang Islam, maka ini perlu dinyatakan dengan jelas supaya pengundi akan tahu pendirian parti yang mereka undi.
Adalah tidak jujur bagi parti untuk meminta sokongan daripada pengundi tetapi enggan menyatakan pendirian sebenar mengenai isu-isu yang sensitif seperti Perkara 153, UiTM dan Hudud.
By Salleh Said Keruak
Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Sabah
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