Wednesday, September 9, 2009

University Days: The Day I Was Declared Indecent



It was a day like any other, or so I thought.

We came back from swimming like we always did.

Our hair was still drenched and irritatingly grassy from the heavily chlorinated water of the UM swimming pool, except for Wong of course because he had no hair then.

We wasted no time and headed for the canteen.

My friends and I always had our forks and spoons in our swimming bags.

Mine was normally tucked comfortably between a worn swimming trunk and a used towel.

We made our way to the food counter in the canteen, preparing our student cards in order to collect food.


It was normally deep-fried catfish on Fridays.

The incredibly obese and bespectacled mak cik was seated as usual by the counter, halfheartedly and nonchalantly checking the students’ cards while giving a pleasant greeting.

I always appreciated her efforts to be nice and kind.

There was something different about today though.

A young Malay lass with no tudung was standing by mak cik, her arms folded across her chest in an authoritative position.

I have come to learn of this lady as a newly appointed hostel warden.

She aged no more than 24 years.

In other words, she was much younger than some of us final year students then.

She was a failed government scholar pursuing a trainee lecturer course with UM.

From afar, I could see her reprimanding some students, both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Some headed back to their rooms without food.

I wondered why.

We found out soon enough.

By the time our turns came to collect food, the six of us experienced Islamic hypocrisy of the highest degree.

We were chided for wearing sandals and short pants.

One of us was told off for wearing a sleeveless shirt.

We were told that our dressing was indecent and unacceptable for a Muslim nation.

Our behavior and noncompliance to the new college dressing rules was deemed unbecoming.

Our manner of dressing was allegedly promoting immoral activities within the college and posed a challenge to the Islamic faith.

We were threatened with expulsion and disciplinary action.

After a brief but lasting tongue lashing, we were sent to our rooms for a change of attire.

By then, my friends and I were already more than pissed, our appetite gone for a good reason.

We ended up eating in section 17, treating ourselves to a truly porky meal and the pleasures that came with it.

For the rest of the year, students were held and disciplined for trivial reasons like pants that hang more than two inches above the knees and sandals that do not cover enough of the feet.

All students who wanted to eat after were required to be in a ‘decent’ attire befitting of an Islamic country, even if one was soaked with sweat or feeling mighty hot after evening sports.

Meanwhile, the male wardens and their student friends continued smoking and puffing and littering cigarette buds around the hostel.

The free-hair lady warden too continued exerting her ruthless reign over students much older than her.

It was just another day in the premier university of negarakuku.

13 comments:

Seiken said...

Dear POTS,
It actually depends who is manning the counter. As for now, we can just eat without the fuss of having to "dress decently".
However, if the new Master, a Parasitology lecturer who speaks with a broken English is there, then it means trouble for us...

Anonymous said...

For your information, we still have those arcane laws now in 6th college. wardens bring a camera around taking photos of students who wear shorts (mind you, even those who wore shorts at the knee level).

fr current resident of 6th college.

Anonymous said...

You know what is even more scary? Those people are all now in higher position of power by now.

Anonymous said...

You want to know what is even more scary? Those people you talked about would now be in higher position of power. These are stuffs that nightmare are made of.

politic is dirty said...

again another example of muslim extremist..
i bet she must be a PAS supporter..
they are really extremist..
if u don't support them..u are going to hell..
if u don't wear like they wear again u will confirm a place in a hell..

Product of the System said...

No she is/was not a PAS supporter.

She's a typical UMNO brat, an NEP product, a spoiled princess of the soil, a self-righteous custodian of conduct.

My better Malay friends in university were PAS supporters.

They were pious Muslims but not extremists.

OBT said...

LOL... no wonder my eyes rolling, jaw dropping, mouth drooling... when I go to NUS, NTU or even Temasek Poly's cafeteria... ^0-0^

psychohuman said...

another psychiatric disorder..
definitely there's social impairment and not juz overvalued idea..

anti-PAs/anti-UMNO said...

ya...its typical PAS action.
POTS u dont know PAS very well...
the one u know are the well educated and most of them are the NEP product
most of the PAS members are extremist...
really extremist..
i was a PAS members before..
the way they act are extreme..just like the lady in your story.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday, the PM said UMNO is a Islamic party so that should put the fear of PAS being Islamic to rest for good.

drrita sandakan said...

another flashback..
thanx POTS for bringing my "black" memories.
it was there year 2000.
i was a second year medical student in UPM.
that year the university organised a cultural event in the main hall.
guess what?? the stupid MPP (student body), mostly PAS supporters were praying in front of the hall entrance!!!!(to show the protest)
all my nonmuslims and even my muslims friends were laughing at them...

watch this said...

ya agree with you POTS..
malay PAS is the BESTEST in the world.

CWM said...

Hi POTS,
It's always nice to read ur posts. Btw, I am currently a final year medical student, that makes me ur junior:), staying in 6th...Everything u mentioned is still happening every now and then..The attitude of the wardens and pengetua are nonetheless arrogant and sometimes, they didn't realize they have shown stupidity at their highest level in their conduct...

I wonder why we are being reprimanded for wearing pants. I respect the belief and practices of Muslims but they too(the college admin), should give us due respect, a basic respect to our fundamental rights. If we have to be dictated on even what to wear, I guess we still have a long way to go..