KUALA LUMPUR — Mr Wong Kan Ye said he was making a stand against racism when he flashed a placard asking Universiti Malaya’s vice-chancellor to resign after receiving his graduation scroll during his convocation ceremony last weekend.

The 23-year-old civil engineering graduate said it was a flash mob protest in front of UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim, who was caught in a racism row recently.

“I did that to tell him he was wrong and that he should not have made such comments,” Mr Wong told The Malaysian Insight, referring to Mr Rahim’s remarks during the Malay Dignity Congress on Oct 6. Mr Wong described Mr Rahim's comments as uncalled for.

“His remarks on race and religion in the speech were very unbecoming of him. Furthermore, he is a respected figure at a well-known university.”

At the congress, Mr Rahim allegedly said the change in government after the 14th general election had eliminated Malay political dominance. He also asserted that Malay privileges were being questioned.

Mr Rahim also allegedly warned others not to challenge the social contract.

Mr Wong, a student activist from Bukit Mertajam, also denied being rude to Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah, adding that the monarch was absent during the incident.

“Many have accused me of being rude and disrespectful to the sultan but he was not there.

“I got my scroll from Ramli Ngah Talib,” Mr Wong said.

“I did not interrupt the ceremony. Right after I received my scroll, I walked to the front where the vice-chancellor was sitting, just took out a placard and demanded his resignation.

“It took less than 30 seconds and I walked down the stage immediately after that.”

It was reported that Mr Wong, upon receiving his scroll, yelled: “Tolak rasis. Undur VC. Ini Tanah Malaysia (Reject racists. Remove VC. This is Malaysia)”, while holding up a placard which listed several reasons why Mr Rahim should resign.

A short clip of Mr Wong’s protest on stage at the convocation is being widely shared on Facebook, while there is also an online petition urging that his bachelor’s degree be retracted.

Mr Wong said he explained to his family what had happened at the convocation and they understood why he did what he did.

UM has lodged a police report against Mr Wong, accusing him of not showing any respect for the convocation ceremony and disrupting protocol.

“His actions at an official event in public, before the chancellor, before parents and graduates, were rude and cannot be condoned at all.

“We submit to the authorities to investigate and take appropriate action,” the university said in a statement.

Mr Wong confirmed that he will be questioned at the Brickfields district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

In March, Mr Wong was involved in another controversy after he was manhandled by supporters of Najib Razak when the former Malaysian prime minister held a forum with UM students.

Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam and three others were charged with two counts of assaulting Mr Wong, who staged a protest across the road from a restaurant near the UM entrance where Najib was speaking. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT