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Reply of Monash Blogging Issues

Wednesday, October 17th, 2007

It happened like this.

And this is their reply:

Dear Mr Wong

Thank you for your email received Tuesday 9 October and apologies for the delay in response as I am only in the office three days a week. You have raised an interesting issue and I suggest that if you strongly believe that action should be taken you first contact Professor Liddell and give her the opportunity to respond to your views. However my reading of the advice to students by the university does not suggest that the notice is inappropriate. The students are not restricted from blogging or told that there will be any penalties for doing so they are merely reminded of their responsibility to guard the reputation of the university. That is not an unreasonable expectation for staff or students as the students benefit from attending a university with a good reputation. If they have criticisms of the university they can raise them within the university. You may be pleased to learn that the Malaysian campus of Monash will appoint a Campus Ombudsman who will liaise closely with the University Student Ombudsman so that if students at that campus have concerns they will have the same opportunity to raise those concerns as students on Victorian campuses. Having carefully considered the information you have provided I do not intend to take any further action on this matter.

Regards

As if they know how Monash Malaysia management style is like.

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The Truth of Monash Malaysia Blogging Warning?

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

English entries is at the last part of this article, just scroll down and you’ll see.

在读这篇之前请看《Monash Teach You How To Blog》。

在知道消息后，我到处问朋友发生了什么事。大多给我的回应很冷淡，说他们并不用blog，所以对这件事没有兴趣。我想再强调一次，这是你们的student rights。

经过多方询问，只能得到以下资料，原来是新的Monash Malaysia Building开幕典礼邀请我国的副首相纳吉去开幕，而很多学生认为说为什么一所大学会请一个racist的人来开幕。学校因为怕事，所以就希望各位学生不要写关于这件事。

上面的说法只是我听说而来的，真实性不明。如果你知道更多内幕的话不妨email我，或者可以在这里匿名留言。我也会尝试找找看澳洲Monash学生人权的代表（如果能被我联络上的话）。

Evil Bunny’s Burrow看到他写对这件事的看法，我觉得怎么去年我没认识到他：

Is the reputation of the university more important compared to the well being of its students? Or even to have a good reputation by covering everything inside the carpet? You judge yourself.

还有一个朋友介绍我看这个对着Monash Malaysia的自称学生团体的一些少数掌权为了私利者对着干的blog(Coalition for the Abolistment of MUSA)，我欣赏！离开短短几个月，原本沉闷的校园一下子变得这么有趣，如果我还留在马来西亚我一定会参与这个团体的。

English:

My friends back in Monash Malaysia had forwarded me an email sent to Malaysia students. The content of this email was warning students not to write anything bad to defame the institute or certain person (that’s my interpretation). I asked many friends of mine about this matter, but most of them dont’ care about it with an excuse that blogging is not their thing, and it’s none of their business.

This is all your business! It’s your rights to express what you think is not right. I had complain it to the Australia campus Ombudsman but I don’t know if they will look into the matter or not (mostly won’t).

I tried to investigate the truth behind and this is what I heard (don’t sue me or catch me). Some people told me that it’s because the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Najib, was invited to the opening ceremoney of Monash Malaysia new building. Some students were not happy with that as they think that DPM was racist and the institute shouldn’t invite him. In order to avoid any troubles at all costs, Prof. Merilyn Liddell sent an email to warn/advise students not to blog anything that defame anyeone orelse they’ll face the law suits.

Do you have other side of the stories? Please tell me through email or comment.

A blogger back in Monash Malaysia had blogged about it (I discovered it during the investigation), Evil Bunny’s Burrow. I don’t know him, which I think “how could i not know him back then?”.

I used to study in Monash Malaysia for a year, and I know their goods and bads. I’ve all the rights to condemn them for their wrong-doings. As a matter of fact, Monash being an international institute, such act is unacceptable. Just now I just notice this blog, Coalition for the Abolistment of MUSA, again I feel sorry that I can’t join them for what they are doing. MUSA is a student association back in Malaysia campus, the council is being elected by Monash students. Although it practised democracy, but there are so few students back in Malaysia are willing to vote. During my days in Monash Malaysia, many dudes from MUSA had abused their powers. They have the control power over all student societies under Monash Malaysia, including the funds, and they had abused it. Often they do things without concerning other students, and many decisions made were based on minority decisions. It’s corrupted. I think every dudes in Monash Malaysia should read this blog and have a good thought. You don’t pay your school fees for any parties or institute to expense your rights.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Monash Teach You How to Blog

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

听闻马来西亚的Monash学生接受到关于Monash Malaysia教学生如何blogging的传闻，所以就到处问了朋友一下，这是一位朋友forward给我的email。

Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:28:07 +1000
Subject: Blogging

***********************************************************************
A message from Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Malaysia), Prof. Merilyn Liddell
***********************************************************************
Dear Students,

It has come to my attention that there have been a number of blogs by
students that are defamatory in nature, causing hurt to the persons
named, and put the students who author the blogs at risk in a number of
ways. I suspect that this has arisen because students are not aware of
the laws of Malaysia relevant to such situations, nor of the University
policies that pertain.

Please note that while free speech is welcome, there are limitations
provided by the law particularly regarding defamation and sedition. It
would appear that some students are not aware of this, and have perhaps
inadvertently contravened the law.

In light of this, the University wishes to provide relevant information
to students regarding the legal and institutional context that applies.

Please find attached a document prepared by the campus solicitor, for
your information, and action as necessary.

Prof. Merilyn Liddell
Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Malaysia)

NOTICE TO STUDENTS

RE: BLOGGING

It has recently come to the attention of the University that there have
been several blogs written by students on the internet which were
derogatory in nature and made against the University and its lecturers
(”the Blogs”).

As such, we wish to bring to awareness that there are laws in Malaysia
and disciplinary policies at Monash University relating to such matters.
The words used in the Blogs could be construed as defamatory or seditious
words and constitute offences under the said laws and policies, thereby
placing the blogger (”the Offender”) in danger of attracting legal action
and/or disciplinary action against him/her.

Definitions
Words are “defamatory” in nature if the words “tend to lower a person in
the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally” (per the
Defamation Act 1957) or if the words “makes or publishes any imputation
concerning any person, intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to
believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of such person”
(per the Penal Code (Revised 1997)).

Words are considered “seditious” if they have a tendency to bring into
hatred or contempt, excite, raise discontent or disaffection, promote
feelings of ill-will and hostility against another person or party (per
the Sedition Act 1948).

Consequences/Dangers for using defamatory or seditious words in blogs
There are numerous legal and/or disciplinary actions which may be taken
against the Offender:-
(i) a civil action for defamation may be initiated in court by the
University and/or the offended lecturer against the Offender;
(ii) a criminal action for sedition may be commenced in court by the
Authorities against the Offender;
(iii) the University may take disciplinary action against the Offender
for committing a misconduct under the Students Disciplinary Policy;
(iv) the University may take disciplinary action against the Offender
for committing an offence under the Acceptable Use of Information
Technology Facilities By Students Policy.

Advice to Students
In view of the above and in view of the very public nature of the blogs,
the University advises all students as follows:-
(i) to exercise caution when blogging or making any other postings on
the internet so as to avoid writing anything which may be defamatory or
seditious in their blogs or postings;
(ii) to immediately remove any blogs (together with its entire blog
trail) or postings which could be defamatory or seditious in nature;
(iii) to lodge any grievances or complaints through the proper channels
made available at the University, such as through:-
(a) the University’s Counselling Services;
(b) MUSA Education Affairs Committee;
(c) the University’s Student Services Department;
(d) the Course Managers of the respective Schools.

The University also encourages students to at all times maintain and
uphold (and not tarnish nor prejudice) the good name and reputation of
Monash University as being a premier international university as a good
name and reputation serves to benefit not just the University but also
the students.

Please be so advised.

Thank you.

我不知道导致他们寄出这封email的原因。不过其中一个原因大概是Monash Malaysia不想它的丑闻被传出去，也不想学生透过blog诋毁它们的名誉。我在文中highlight了一些段落。

自由blogging也是学生的人权之一，Monash身为一所国际大学，不应该有此举动。我已经在Monash Ombudsman那里做出了投诉，也希望各位学生也做同样的事情，这是关系到你们的权益。

以下是我写的信（不能在网页中submit）：

Details of Grievance
Faculty / department: Monash Malaysia
Key contact person: Prof. Merilyn Liddell
Summarise in one or two sentences what action, decision or conduct forms the basis of your grievance: Recently Students in Monash Malaysia received email which ‘teach’ students how to blog.

Please give details of your grievance:

In the email I received from my friedns back in Malaysia, there’re two paragraphs which caught my attention.

“It has recently come to the attention of the University that there have
been several blogs written by students on the internet which were
derogatory in nature and made against the University and its lecturers
(”the Blogs”).”

“The University also encourages students to at all times maintain and
uphold (and not tarnish nor prejudice) the good name and reputation of
Monash University as being a premier international university as a good
name and reputation serves to benefit not just the University but also
the students.”

I used to studies in Monash Malaysia, I know teh goods and bads of Monash Malaysia.

Blog is something for people to express themselves, and Monash SHOULDN’T having any business with a students’ doings outside the school. Besides, students may just writing out the truth, and Monash should accept it and make improvement, but not hiding it from the publics.

Have you completed the grievance procedure with the faculty or department? No
If you answered no to the previous question, please give reasons for contacting the University Student Ombudsman

Blogging is students’ rights, Monash has no responsibility stopping us, and shouldn’t send an email warning students about it. It’s a failure of Monash education that you educated someone to be that moron to spoil your name for no reason and no proof. Monash as an international institute body shouldn’t have this 3rd world mentality thinking of this will cover up their wrong-doings back in Malaysia.

What outcome are you seeking?

Explaining why this email was sent, an apologize email from Prof. Merilyn Liddell to monash malaysia students and promise that Monash will respect the students’ rights.