Fw: Fwd: FW: Dyana Sofya's smart reply on UiTM

[fortune proper]

My reply to Datuk Razali Ibrahim on UiTM 
By Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud 
( DAP Candidate for Teluk Intan by-election ).
As a graduate of UiTM, I take pride in my alma mater, just like many others with affectionate ties to their respective schools of higher learning, be it Ivy League institutions or local institutions of higher learning. I have always made it known, especially upon my foray into politics in 2011, that I am a lawyer, having graduated from UiTM Shah Alam. Having failed in its attack on my gender, UMNO is now using my alma mater as fodder for political attacks against me. My time in UiTM has trained me well enough to resist this attempt by UMNO to manipulate UiTM by using it as its political tool.

Sometime last year, I proposed in an interview that a similar institution like UiTM, which provides affordable, quality education to the Malays, be established for the non-Malays. I believed and I still do, that education should not be race-based. Access to quality higher education should be accorded to all qualified, hardworking and deserving Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion, region, gender and political affiliation. While a student in UiTM, I noticed the discrepancy where rich children of UMNO leaders were admitted into UiTM while poorer but more qualified non-UMNO linked families were shut out. A responsible and righteous government will not condone such injustice. A responsible and righteous government will correct this injustice. But instead of being open to constructive proposals, UMNO has gone on the defensive by accusing me of wanting to abolish UiTM. This is precisely why many Malaysians feel that UMNO has lost its plot. Instead of working to improve this nation, UMNO closes both ears and reads what it wants to read.
Equal opportunity to all deserving Malaysians does not mean that the Malays will be robbed. It means that more deserving Malaysians of all races, including many Malays who do not support UMNO, will have access to quality higher education. UMNO has lost sight of our future and is more concerned of stoking ethnic sentiments in order to shore up its support base. A public institution, more so a public institution of higher learning should never be placed at the mercy of a political party. UiTM belongs to the people, and not to UMNO.
The extent of this ‘forced takeover’ of UiTM by UMNO has even resulted in UMNO leaders labelling me a traitor for being a candidate of DAP, as apparently according to these UMNO leaders, UiTM alumni are not supposed to do that. When did joining UiTM made us UMNO members? It is highly ironic that UMNO is claiming that UiTM students should support UMNO as this is the same party that discourages students from being active in politics. Students are to be free to express their views and thoughts, and be accorded their freedom to pursue their dreams and ambitions. No political party has a right to stand in the way of the dreams and aspirations of young Malaysians.
I call upon my fellow alumni, and to all students in public institutions of higher learning, to never allow yourselves to be chained to the agenda of UMNO and BN. An alma mater means a nourishing mother in Latin. Never allow UMNO and BN to rob you of a nourishing mother by turning it into a repressive master. I aim to further the cause of student and youth activism if elected into Parliament, for the young are raring to change this nation around and I hope to be given the chance to play my part in this.