Chia had has been issued a show-cause letter by the university's vice-chancellor
Prof Dr Anuar Zaini Md Zain, asking her to explain her e-mail postings
on the Damansara Chinese school issue in a discussion group last month
where she spoke the truth about the "hijacking" episode in
the Damansara school controversy.
.
Chia had committed no offence or crime against the university or compromised
her academic professionalism to justify the university authorities
instituting disciplinary proceedings against her.
She may have embarrassed the MCA Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Hon Choon Kim for speaking the truth, but this cannot be equated to "embarrassing the government". If anyone has embarrassed the government, it is none other than Hon for placing the government in a position where truth hurts - and it is Hon who should be disciplined and not Chia!
Chia had also not violated the Statutory Bodies Act 2000 (Disciplinary and Surcharge) (Akta Badan-badan Berkanun 2000, Tatatertib dan Surcaj), Regulation 18 (1), where a university officer cannot make public statements, whether oral or written, that criticise government policies without written approval from the education minister as it could not be government policy that public servants must defend lies and not tell the truth!
In fact, the MCA Ministers must apologise for the victimisation of Chia just because Hon felt "embarrassed" by her speaking the truth about the "hijacking" episode in the the Damansara school controversy and take immediate action to retract the show-cause letter issued to her.
MCA Ministers had never made an iota of contribution in all the decades of MCA in government to protect and promote democracy and human rights.
On the contrary, they had actively undermined basic human rights, as in Chia's case, violating her fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression as well as attempts to muzzle the Chinese-language mass media from giving fair reporting to issues and developments where the MCA Ministers had taken a stand contrary to the wishes of the Chinese community and the interests of the Malaysian people.
If the MCA Ministers are not prepared to take immediate action to get the University of Malaya's show-cause notice to Chia withdrawn, I hope the Cabinet Ministers from the other Barisan Nasional component parties - whether Gerakan or MIC - will raise the issue in the Cabinet next Wednesday.
The prolongation of the unseemly and unworthy episode to muzzle and penalise Chia from speaking the truth would not be necessary if Musa can intervene to strike out the show-cause letter.
Musa should be mindful of the outcry in a dozen Internet discussion groups which have come out in support of Chia, with many University of Malaya alumni expressing shock and anger at the university's action and asked for the withdrawal of the show-cause notice.
Instead of trying to harass, penalise and persecute Chia, Musa should commend her for setting a good example of speaking the truth and declare that she had not embarrassed the government although she might have embarassed Hon.
(9/3/2001)