UM Apologises For ‘’Suggestive’’ On Stage Scene By Students In Theatre Competition

The clip showed a male and female actor in a scene on stage, which many on social media claimed was suggestive.

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Universiti Malaya (UM) has issued a public statement regarding a theatre performance by its students, of which a short clip of it is circulating online.

UM apologised for the particular scene which appeared during the varsity’s theatre carnival (KARVITER).

The clip showed a male actor crawling towards the female actor as she lay on a bed under dimmed lighting, leaving the rest to the imagination.

UM clarified that all performances must be free of negative elements, provocation, or any content that could undermine religious values, morality, ethics, or culture.

The university acknowledged that the particular scene was inconsistent with the script that underwent the official vetting process. As such, the performance went against competition rules and has been ruled ineligible for judging in the theatre competition.

Additionally, UM is taking follow-up actions to strengthen the monitoring processes to ensure such incidents would not happen again in future student activities.

The issue also caught the attention of the Higher Education Ministry. Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, was aware of the incident and said he would get further details from the university before giving further comments.

A Threads user, who identified herself as a UM student representative and former religious school student, claimed that UM isn’t a “liberal institution” and demanded a public apology from the university.

While some people are shocked and outraged by the theatre clip, some alumni find the current generation’s regressive attitudes and views concerning.

They drew a comparison to their own days as students, when they fought for freedom of expression at UM, driven by the belief that university students are capable of making sound moral judgments for themselves.

A former student representative, also commenting on Threads, noted that UM is not a religious or Islamic university, while another user pointed out that the university also caters to a diverse student body.