Analysis by ‘kangkung professors’ leaves LKS fuming
Report claims local elections against Constitution, and an attempt to make Penang autonomous
(Free Malaysia Today) – A political analysis by two academicians about local government elections left the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang incensed today, prompting him into a lengthy rant about “kangkung professors” and the failings of the country’s universities.
He said Umno’s kangkung professors had been “running riot with their illiterate interpretation of national developments”, which left him despairing about the hopes of Malaysian universities ever gaining world-class status.
The analysis that left him fuming was a Bernama report that quoted Associate Prof Dr. Ahmad Martadha Mohamad and lecturer Md Shukri Shuib, both of Universiti Utara Malaysia.
The report alleged that local councils elections contravened the constitution and was an attempt to turn Penang into an autonomous state.
Kit Siang lambasted the pair for not understanding the Federal Constitution, and questioned whether they knew their subjects, or even what they were talking about.
“I really pity the undergraduates taking courses under such a Kangkong Professor who clearly has minimal understanding of the Federal Constitution, government and international affairs,” Kit Siang said.
Prof Ahmad Martadha is dean of the College of Legal, Government and International Studies, while Md Shukri is a senior lecturer in Political and International Studies.
“It is sad and tragic that the Dean of the College of Legal, Government and International Studies of a local public university does not understand the Federal Constitution,” Kit Siang said.
He pointed out that Tunku Abdul Rahman had promised that local elections would be restored once the Indonesian Confrontation ended. The Athi Nahappan Report had also made the specific recommendation that local government elections should be held, and asked:
“Will the Kangkong Professor from UUM say that the Athi Nahappan Report was an attempt to challenge the Federal Constitution?”
