Threat to Malaysian students backfires as Anwar draws bigger crowd in Australia
Trinna Leong, TMI
A warning emailed to Malaysian students in Australia against attending a programme featuring opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had the opposite effect. It piqued interest and drew a large crowd to his talk at Adelaide University yesterday, said those who attended it.
The event received overwhelming response, forcing organisers to change the venue to a bigger hall to accommodate some 900 people, 300 more than initially expected.
Those who attended the talk said that the crowd, a blend of Malaysians and Australians, were curious to hear Anwar speak after news that Malaysian offcials warned students was reported by the Australian media.
The email from the Malaysian Students Department was addressed to students sponsored by the Public Service Department (JPA), warning them against attending the Festival of Ideas programme in the university where Anwar was featured.
Allan Chin, 28, told The Malaysian Insider that the warning was free publicity for Anwar.
“I know of people who knew about the event because of the threat and hence attended. It’s free publicity for Anwar,” said Chin, a Malaysian working in Adelaide, speaking over Facebook.
At the event, Anwar was interviewed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalist Waleed Aly. He took questions on the Allah controversy, the results of the 13th general election and freedom of speech.
Anwar also defended Malaysian students who were told they could lose their scholarships if they attended the event.
“Anwar said that people from all religions should be free to describe their God as Allah and it is absurd that Malaysia is the only country that is ‘pro-Allah’,” said Chin, referring to the recent Court of Appeal ruling barring Catholic weekly Herald from using the word Allah.
Jerad Tan said it had been very frustrating to get the email from the Malaysian students office, noting the Festival was a forum to share ideas and knowledge, not a political rally.
Being in Adelaide for decades, a Malaysian-born woman who did not want to be named, said the email was shocking and very silly.
“They are students, telling them not to come will make them more curious,” she said.
“They are intelligent people, how can you think they will not think for themselves?”
