Postcript: Déjà vu at MU’s Speaker’s Corner

Quoting the Star of Jan 27, 2010, ‘The reintroduction of the corner has a sense of déjà vu for UM, as the university housed Malaysia’s first corner for students in the 1970s.’

I had in my previous posting related on the day that I witnessed the launch of the original Speaker’s Corner of MU in the 65/66? session. (the acronym of University of Malaya is invariably written as ‘UM’ but students then fondly referred to it as ‘MU’. I’m not sure now, has it changed? )

The Speaker’s Corner at MU was reintroduced/relaunched/reestablished/reinstated, what-have-you, yesterday Jan 26, 2010. How you state it is not important. The point is, it is back and not anywhere too soon!

It was officiated through the gracious presence of the Dy Minister of Higher Education YB Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (who lamented the fact that he did not get a chance to participate before as it was then under wraps, with compliments of the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) 1971).

Interestingly enough, Ms Shah Rizul Ayuni Zulkiply 23, took to the mike so to speak (mega-phone in this instance) minutes after when it was ‘open to the floor’ expounding ‘women’s power’ – 'on the role of female student leaders and the need to acknowledge their leadership qualities’

A former secretary of the MU’s Students’ Union, she said ‘the Speakers’ Corner was a good avenue for her to explain how female student leaders could complement their male counterparts.’ – good for her! Certainly this would not be the last we hear of her.

This a far cry from before when lady students were largely spectators to be ogled at and not heard! Times have changed, certainly for the better.


P.P.S (submitted Feb 02,2010) The Sunday Star of Jan 31, featured a news item and picture of Tan Sri Dr. Adam Kadir (ex-Senate President) leafing through past issues of Mingguan Malaysia where he had written in his column about the launching which was confirmed as June 15, 1966.