UM must guarantee academic freedom and freedom of speech

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TMI

Universiti Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM) views with great concern the recent developments surrounding Persatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malayas (PMUM) event of October 27, 40 tahun dari UM ke penjara, featuring UM alumnus Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

PKAUM affirms that Universiti Malaya, our place of work, learning, research and intellectual exchange, and a public university of a country aspiring for democratic maturity, must safeguard academic freedom and freedom of speech.

We urge Universiti Malaya to provide a safe environment for tonights 40 tahun dari UM ke penjara, as UM has done for recent peaceful public assemblies by students as well as staff.

Universities must be safe havens for our youth to explore ideas and ideals, and to express their thoughts and sentiments. The only prohibitions should be on hate speech, defamation, violence, and other legal infringements, for which general laws are adequate.

Anwar is, of course, the leader of the federal opposition and his speech will assuredly touch on social and political matters. But how is this so bad for the university?

UMs administration claims before the event that it will tarnish the image of the university. As thinking members of UMs academic body, we do not see any basis for this fear.

PKAUM rejects the unwarranted labelling of this event as illegal and disapproves the threat of expulsion and penalties against PMUM president Fahmi Zainol.

Let us be mature, and let us nurture the maturity of our students, by encouraging diversity of ideas and opinions, instead of constricting exposure.

If anything critical is said of the university or the Malaysian government, the response should be to safeguard the same space to other parties. In fact, we are glad that two Umno political figures, Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and Global Movement of Moderates CEO Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, participated in a student event on UM campus a few weeks ago.

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UM must guarantee academic freedom and freedom of speech

Freedom Run and Cultural Show today

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THE 2014 Freedom Run and Cultural Show takes place today (October 26). The annual event, which is a production of the National Joint Action Committees (NJAC) Tobago Cultural Committee, is part of the organisations emancipation celebrations.

The NJAC, which has been instrumental in spreading the emancipation concept throughout the world, has fashioned the Tobago Freedom Run after a similar event which takes place in Jamaica.

The Freedom Run will begin with offerings of prayers at the Charlotteville Band Stand and will feature runners from across the Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago. The runners will be accompanied by drummers and rhythm sections along the route from Charlotteville to Scarborough.

The Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Embau Moheni is expected to give an address to the participants when they assemble at the Milford Road Espalanade in Scarborough.

Meanwhile, the Calypso Queen of the World, Calypso Rose will be flying in from New York to be the headline act on what is expected to be an explosive cultural event at the Esplanade from 5pm. She will be joined by peoples calypsonian Brother Valentino, Fya Empress, Candice Robinson, Ware, Marion Pamponette, Duane OConnor and Ife Alleyne among others.

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Freedom Run and Cultural Show today

Eugenics — Maafa 21: Black Genocide In 21st America — Mark Crutcher — ProlifeAmerica.com – Video

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Eugenics -- Maafa 21: Black Genocide In 21st America -- Mark Crutcher -- ProlifeAmerica.com
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People ahead in dog plans for Busselton

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People ahead in dog plans in Busselton

Busselton City Council has voted to give people priority at beaches after its latest review of dog exercise areas.

The council passed Mayor Ian Stubbs' alternative motion on Wednesday seven votes to two, which divides the City's beaches into 28 sections of prohibited, seasonal and exercise areas for dogs.

City officers had recommended dogs be allowed off-leash in the areas designated seasonal except during the period 9am to 5pm from December 1 to April 30.

However, under Cr Stubbs' successful motion, dogs would not be allowed off-leash in the 10 seasonal areas at any time during those summer months.

Cr Stubbs said his motion was unashamedly tipping the balance in favour of people who wanted to enjoy the City's beaches free of dogs.

"There are exercise areas located all around the coast and dog owners, most of them, should be able to walk to them," he said.

Earlier, an alternative motion by Cr Jenny Green to make the majority of the City's beaches seasonal was narrowly lost four votes to five.

Cr Green said her motion would make the laws easier for residents and visitors to understand and simpler to enforce for City rangers.

Under her motion, the seasonal period would last from November 1 to April 30 but dogs would still be allowed on a lead during this period.

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People ahead in dog plans for Busselton

Does Buckeye Lake algae threaten tourism?

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View Larger Environment Blog Other news Helpful Links Local Stories from ThisWeek More Articles By Laura Arenschield The Columbus Dispatch Monday October 27, 2014 5:18 AM

Microcystin levels from toxic blue-green algae at Buckeye Lakes three public beaches were consistently higher this year than in any of the past three years, despite increased efforts to protect the popular central Ohio lake.

Toxic algae are common in most Ohio lakes but grow thick in warm, still water by feeding on phosphorus from manure, sewage and fertilizers that rain washes into waterways. The algae can produce liver and nerve toxins that can sicken people and kill pets.

Warning signs went up at Buckeye Lake in June and have remained for at least one or two beaches since then. Elevated levels of microcystin, a liver toxin created by algae, have some Buckeye Lake advocates worried about the future of tourism, a major part of the communitys economy.

Youve got property values, the tourism, the fishermen, said Merv Bartholow, the director of Buckeye Lake for Tomorrow, a nonprofit group that works on water quality at Buckeye Lake. Its an anglers paradise out here, especially during certain seasons. Businesses depend on it.

Some worry that Buckeye Lake will become the next Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohios poster child for toxic-algae woes. The shallow lake in western Ohio has recorded some of the highest microcystin levels in the state.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources manages Buckeye Lake, but the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency maintains the warning list.

As of Friday, the list had warnings for three beaches at Buckeye Lake, four at Grand Lake St. Marys and one at Maumee Bay State Park on Lake Erie.

Microcystin became so pervasive in Lake Erie this summer that it contaminated the city of Toledos drinking-water system, leaving 500,000 people without public drinking water for two days.

The toxin can turn large swaths of water green.

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Does Buckeye Lake algae threaten tourism?