KUALA LUMPUR: Social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir said yesterday that she had been banned from entering a public university, despite having been invited by the students to attend a programme there.

“That makes it the fifth time I’ve been ‘banned’ from public universities. I must be damn powerful,” she said in a Facebook post yesterday evening.

She also posted the student’s message to her about the ban: “I am very sorry that they (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Pelajar — Students’ Affairs Department) strictly deny permission for your entry to our campus.

“Not much could be argued as we were told all IPTAs (public universities) are taking a similar approach,” Marina quoted the student as saying.

Marina said she was “OK” about the ban, adding that the students could meet her another time for a chat.

When contacted, Marina declined to reveal the university’s name, saying that she did not want to get the students into trouble.

“I think the question should be do IPTAs have a blacklist of speakers (non-politicians) not allowed into the campus. Is it a general policy?

“You should ask them (public universities) the question and find out the reasons. I don’t know why [they decided to ban me],” she wrote in a text message to The Malaysian Insider.

Malaysian public universities have had a record of banning individuals from speaking on campus grounds.

Law lecturer Associate Professor Dr Azmi Sharom, who was charged with sedition last year, said he was chased out of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia after being invited to speak with the students on colonial-era law.

Universiti Malaya on Dec 9 suspended and fined several students for organising a programme that saw opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim entering the campus to deliver a talk.

The university also issued a circular on Dec 23 prohibiting its staff from organising any political activity. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 14, 2015.