Malaysian students protest, call on Mahathir to resign
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (AFP) - More than 200 students demonstrated inside Malaysia's premier university campus Friday during a visit by Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, calling on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to resign.
The protestors, gathered at the university's main hall, chanted anti-government slogans and shouted "Long live students."
"Abolish ISA (the draconian Internal Security Act) and abolish the Universities and Colleges Act," the students yelled.
"Graduates want Mahathir to step down," one poster read.
Burhan Che Daud, a student leader, told AFP that Malaysia needed leaders who can ensure justice, adding that the resignation call reflected of not just students but all the people.
"Students have lost confidence in the prime minister. Students want him replaced," he told AFP.
The students from various universities also denounced the government over alleged ties with Israel and lack of transparency in the judiciary. They urged students to unite to fight what they called cruelty.
"We are against all cronies of Israel," one banner read. Another said: "Jews are our enemies."
In a memorandum which Abdullah accepted, the students called for an independent inquiry into claims that jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim was poisoned while in custody.
