20 January 2009
Mr. Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
Peace be Upon You.
1. We, the Malaysian Academic Movement (MOVE), representing more than 50,000 academic staff of universities in Malaysia congratulate you on your historic win and inauguration as President of the USA.
2. Your victory was celebrated by citizens of the world because it spelled hope for many, clear across boundaries of color, country and creed. The world is waiting in anticipation of your presidency because they are resting their hopes on you.
3. In the past month, we have had to stomach more inhumane atrocities—this time in Gaza. This particular incident is quite unique: there was no element of surprise in it; it did not involve the events taking place in prisons; it was the systematic, brutal, annihilation of a defenseless people trapped like animals in a cage. They were picked off at will by the Israeli government using sophisticated weapons.
4. Sadly, the majority of the victims have been women and children. The United Nations impotence in the face of Israel has always been the result of America’s posturing.
5. Mr. President, your inauguration signals a possible ‘renewing of America’. We ask that in your capacity as President, you rein in Israel and bring them to the fold of sanity. There can be no justification in perpetrating this crime on women and children.
6. The blood of these innocent lives are on the hands of the United States too since the carnage is conducted with American weapons.
7. We appeal to you as the new President, to stop this madness, and in doing so, you will go down in history, as the President who halted the advancement of lunacy with reason, courage and heart.
8. If a just outcome in-line with numerous UN resolutions constantly vetoed in the past by the US does not prevail, we are afraid that the US will never be trusted and that your term in office would have been an even more disappointing one since so much hope is placed on you.
Thank you for your attention. We hope to hear a positive response to our request in the news.
Prof. Wan Manan Wan Muda,
Chairman, Malaysian Academics Movement (MOVE/GERAK)
Faisal Mustaffa,
General Secretary, Private Higher Education Institutes Academic Staff Union (KAPTS)
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Aslam Haneef,
President, International Islamic University Malaysia Academic Staff Association (IIUMASA)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Junedah Sanusi
President, University of Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM)
Prof Dr. Omar bin Shawkataly
Vice President, Academic and Administrative Staff Association, Universiti Sains Malaysia (PKAP)
Prof. Madya Dr. Raja Roslan Raja Abd. Rahman (Presiden)
President, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Academic Staff Association (UTeMASA)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdul Halim B. Abdul Majid
Secretary General, Academic Staf Association of Universiti Utara Malaysia (PERSATU)
Ab Latiff Ishak
President, Academic Staff Union Universiti Teknologi MARA (MITASA)
cc
Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister of Malaysia
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