Student movements rountable discussion post Covid-19

Student movements rountable discussion post Covid-19

20th May 2023, the round table student event takes place among Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia students (UIAM). Open discussion manage by Rahman Imuda, and moderator Dr Muqit Muhammad. The attendance recorded 13 students from UM, and 17 students from UIAM. There are interesting highlights.

There are groups of students who dare to expose their stand either pro to the right or left wing. They dont feel and see it as an obstacle to their daily life as students. While there were an uncomfortable ‘changing clothes’ among student activists to represent any political party. This happens because there is a clash between the standpoint of certain issues when it comes to the place, there is a conflict between the students and their "big brothers" behind them.

Students prefer manual voting rather than e-voting. This is because they want to feel the presence and practice of democracy on the political campus. Interestingly, there is a campus recording updated 12% voters for campus election, which is the highest vote recorded since campus elections are held yearly.

Students questioning why people talking about youth as future leaders, not right now leaders? While here are the things that need to take attention. Student movement posts independence 1960 until 2020 having almost the same struggle trend between conformists and anti-conformists. But, the post-Covid-19 sees that important point.

1. Student activists become more varied groups with their vision, mission and aspire.

2. Data voters percentage decreased.

3. Students want to maintain the manual voting because want to feel the democratic presence and practice.

The fact is, statistics show that 72.1% SPM students don’t want to further their studies at a higher level. They prefer working in gig economy industries. There`s a questions possible to think. How is the student movement waking up from the endemic Covid-19 issue? If people looking students as a leader, then where is the spaces for youth solutions nowadays, to let them make mistakes, corrected them and let them move forward? Is the student movement moving forward from idealism to activism, or just an idealism without activism, or activism without idealism?

credit picture by Rahman Imuda

Hi, I am nadia. I am graduated from Universiti Malaysia Sabah in (BA) Hons Sociology and Social Anthropology. Im interested into the work to increase the political literacy among society in order to develop powerful civil society.