Students Protest at Dataran Merdeka entered 3rd Day

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• published: 18 Apr 2012
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April 16, 2012 The student protest at the Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square calling for an end to the National Higher Education fund (PTPTN) loan scheme entered the 3rd Day. Early in the morning at around 10.15 am, enforcement officers from DBKL forcefully removed the students and confiscated their tents which they had been camping out since Saturday. During the scuffle, one student was slightly injured on the neck. Despite without any tents, several members of the group continued to sit under the hot sun holding up posters. By around 1.00 pm, the students had received three new tents donated by the public and endeavored to set them up when officers from DBKL tried to stop them. They however left them alone after failing to stop them. The MP for Batu, YB Tian Chua arrived at around 1.15pm. He appealed to the authorities to respect the rights of the student bodies to peaceful assembly. "I have come to show my concern and solidarity with the students who had so far been camping out peacefully." He said. He regretted the use of force by the authorities in removing the young people from Dataran Merdeka. Auntie Bersih, Annie Ooi and Cekgu Bard were among those who shown up to lend their solidarity with the student bodies. At 5.20 pm, PKR assemblyman YB Tze Tzin arrived with 5 tents. He told the students that if one tent is confiscated, he will come with another 3 tents. YB Elizabeth Wong also sent another 5 tents through her representatives. YB Fong Kui Lun, MP for Bukit Bintang arrived at 5.40. He made a press statement at 6.00 pm urging the authorities to respect the rights of the young students who had so far been camping out peacefully. Soon heavy downpour started. Both the students and the reporters covering the event retreated to the huge stage constructed nearby for the upcoming Royal concert. When the rain stopped just before 8.00pm, the protesters returned to their camps and more students came to join them. At around 8.30 pm, the students took their seats at the side of the field and started what they called " University Dataran Merdeka" where lectures would be conducted by lecturers from public and private universities who had agreed to teach on democracy and human rights.