Chronology of the UUM Bus Issue

03/01/09
A bus company in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) named Unic Symbol Business Sdn. Bhd. had released a notice about the upgrading of E-bus System and increment in bus fare starting on 17/01/09. Under the new system, two plans will be introduced:

1. RM90 plan: Unlimited times of bus riding for the whole semester. But matric card can only be used once in 15 minutes to avoid students from sharing a matric card.
2. RM22 plan: Contains 40 points, which means 40 bus rides. This is equal to RM0.55 per ride (one way). In this way, the bus fare has increased 37.5%, from RM0.40 to RM0.55 per ride (one way).

Remaining credits for both plans cannot be transferred to the next semester. The news spread fast and students were unhappy with the changes made.

12/01/09
Choo Kok Wei, Medecci Lineil and friends had set up an online petition specifically for UUM students at www.petitiononline.com/20090112/petition.html to gather students’ support as a protest towards the bus issue. Initially it was planned to be held for five days and then a memorandum will be sent to the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Dr. Nordin Kardi, Ph.D.

2pm
Within few hours, the number of signature had reached 200.

3pm
Kok Wei received call from Security Department (UK) during lecture, so he didn’t answer it.

5pm
The online petition website had been blocked by UUM but Kok Wei, Meedecci Lineal and friends were able to find ways to access to it later and spread it to the students.

13/01/09
8.00 a.m.
Before the beginning of the lecture, Medicci Lineil gave a brief speech in front of his course mates regarding the issue. The speech touched on the UUM’s action to block access to their online petition and he emphasized that the effort will be continued despite the university’s intimidation actions. It was done in three lectures and he received strong support from his course mates.

8.30am
UK officer Selvaraju a/l Subramanian (Investigation Department) called Kok Wei and wanted Kok Wei to go to UK immediately.

11am
Selvaraju called Kok Wei again during his assignment discussion. Kok Wei wasn’t able to make it and Selvaraju threatened Kok Wei that he would go to Kok Wei’s room.

Evening
Assistant of Vice Chancellor for Law, Government and International Studies called Medicci to give explanation regarding their online petition and his speeches.

6.30pm
UK sent an official letter to Kok Wei, asking him to go to UK office for discussion on the next morning. Immediately, Kok Wei replied UK that he would meet UK on 17/01/09 after meeting with Deputy Vice Chancellor.

14/01/09
8.10am
Selvaraju called Kok Wei, saying that he couldn’t accept Kok Wei’s request to postpone the meeting. He wanted Kok Wei to go to UK immediately. Again, Selvaraju threatened that he will write a letter to Deputy Vice Chancellor so that Kok Wei will be kicked out from hostel.

15/01/09
Kok Wei and Medicci sent appointment letter to Deputy Vice Chancellor to postpone the meeting to 19/01 because 17/01 was public holiday.

17/01/09
12.30pm
Kok Wei went UK to meet Selvaraju as promised in the replied letter. Kok Wei admitted that he set up the online petition. During the interrogation, many irrelevant questions were asked.

5pm
Interrogation went on for 4 and a half hour and finished at 5pm.

18/01/09
Security Department (Investigation Unit) sent a letter to Medicci ordering him to attend an interrogation session with the department on 19 January 2009, 10 a.m. to help investigation. However, he applied to the department to postpone the meeting to another date. Security Department reject his application, instead released sent another letter ordering him to attend interrogating session on 20 January 2009, 10 a.m.

19/01/09
The number of signature for the online petition had reached 500.

11.35pm
Kok Wei and friends met with Deputy Vice Chancellor and handed in a memorandum. Four demands have been raised:

1. Maintain the bus fare at RM0.40 per point or reduce it to a rate lower than RM0.55 per point.
2. The remaining credit can be brought forward to the next semester.
3. University has to be transparency in the contract with UNIC and also other contracts in the future, so that students are able to supervise it.
4. Students are involved in any decision making that are concerning the benefits of the students.

Deputy Vice Chancellor refused to reduce the bus fare to RM0.40 but university will review the rate from time to time. Remaining of the credits can be brought forward to the next semester. Deputy Vice Chancellor also ensured that voices of students will be taken into consideration in the future. But he refused to open the contract with UNIC to the public because it is confidential.

20/01/2009
Medicci attended interrogation session and Selvaraju was in charge for the session. Various questions were asked from his parent’s background to his political ideology. Besides, the questions also intend to make Medicci to turn against Kok Wei. Psychology pressure frequently used. The interrogator keep emphasized that their actions tainted the image of the university and administration. Several statements were signed by him without his consent due to the coercion from the interrogator. The interrogation session went on for seven hours and finished at 9.00 p.m.

19/02/09
At Night
Choo received a letter from the Disciplinary Board of UUM, charging him for “planning a protest in online media and released press statement regarding bus fare issue in UUM”. He was asked to attend disciplinary proceeding on 25/2 (Wednesday), 9.25am at Bilik Mesyuarat Sri Delima, Tingkat 5, Bangunan Canselori.

22/02/09
8.30am
Kok Wei sent a letter asking for postpone, but has been rejected by the secretary of UUM Disciplinary Board without reading at the letter. Kok Wei wasn’t able to meet the Deputy Vice Chancellor because he is not in the office.

In the same day, friends from UUM and other campuses such as USM, UKM, UM, UPM and NEC start doing urgent appeal to get supports from students and fax it to UUM Vice Chancellor to urge to drop the charge on Kok Wei.

In the evening, Kok Wei and friends get helps and support from Bar Council Kedah/Perlis. They will send representative when proceeding on 25/2 (Wednesday).

24/02/09
Kok Wei sent a legal letter to the Deputy Vice Chancellor. He was asked to meet the Deputy Vice Chancellor personally. Deputy Vice Chancellor informed him that his disciplinary proceeding postponed to 2/03/09, 9.25 a.m. at Bilik Mesyuarat Sri Delima, Tingkat 5, and Bangunan Canselori.

25/02/09
Medicci received a letter from the Disciplinary Board of UUM, charging him for “planning a protest in online media and released press statement regarding bus fare issue in UUM”. He was asked to attend disciplinary proceeding on 2/03/2009 (Monday), 2.30 p.m. at Bilik Mesyuarat Sri Delima, Tingkat Lima, and Bangunan Canselori.

Tengku Mohd Hasrul Bin Tengku Malek received a letter from the Disciplinary Board charging him due to his criticism on UUM Deputy Vice Chancellor in his blog.

26/02/09
The responses from students were very good. Our friends have handed out around 230 urgent appeals to UUM Vice Chancellor. 70 urgent appeals were from USM while others were all from UUM students itself.
01/03/09 Another 145 urgent appeals handed to UUM Vice Chancellor. All were from UUM students. Students from other campuses still keep faxing the urgent appeal to UUM Vice Chancellor these days.

3.30pm
Kok Wei and Med received postpone letter from Disciplinary Board of UUM again. There’s was no date and any reason given from the postpone letter this time. It just stated that the hearing date will be informed later.

Evening
Tengku Hasrul also received a same postpone letter when he backed to his room after class.

05/03/09
There was no any latest news yet from Disciplinary Board of UUM to when the postpone will be. Anyway, urgent appeal was still carry on in campuses to get supports from students.