PETALING JAYA: The student representative council of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) has apologised for causing a “misunderstanding” by its recent protest against calls to admit non-Bumiputera students to its cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme.
The group said its May 14 press statement announcing the protest, where it urged all students to wear black as a sign of solidarity, was “a little confusing as we did not explain the actual chronology of this case”.
It added that there was some misunderstanding over its statement as the council’s interpretation of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution was “not explained thoroughly”.
Article 153 deals with the “special position” of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
“This was beyond our expectation and we accept this as a lesson to ensure that clearer statements are made in future,” it said in a press statement today.
In announcing the protest last week, the council said that it held fast to the constitution, particularly Article 153, and that UiTM was formed for the preservation of the special position of the Bumiputeras.
Meanwhile, the student council acknowledged that it had disrupted national harmony due to its “unclear method of delivery” in announcing the protest.
It added that this was not its intention, saying this was caused by its statement not being read with the right context or understanding.
“We want to thank all parties involved, whether directly or indirectly, for voicing their opinions and concerns. Their views and responses are very important to us in clearing up the issue.
“Lastly, every mistake that has happened will be a lesson for us. We once again apologise for this.”
The UiTM student council’s protest came after the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) urged the varsity to prioritise public health by temporarily opening its cardiothoracic surgery programme to non-Bumiputeras amid a shortage of specialists and surgeons in the field.
The students came under fire from UCSI University’s professor Tajuddin Rasdi for having an outdated mindset while Johan Ariffin Samad, a member of the G25 group, described the students’ action as “premature” since the proposal was just for one course.
