University execs want bill scrapped, seek apology
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Top executives of universities have demanded that the government prove its sincerity by scrapping the amnesty bill once and for all.
They have also demanded an apology from MPs who approved this highly controversial draft law. These demands have already been communicated directly to key government figures such as Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjanana and Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang, who called them to a meeting yesterday.
“The prime minister and leaders of coalition parties should ratify that they will neither endorse the amnesty bill nor propose another similar draft law,” Sripatum University’s president Rutchaneeporn Pookayaporn Phukkamarn said during the meeting.
Chaturon invited the top executives of various universities to the meeting apparently in a bid to ease their dissatisfaction against the government MPs’ push for the blanket amnesty.
The lower house passed the bill before dawn on November 1.
A number of top educators have openly staged rallies against the amnesty bill earlier this week. The top executives of Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Mahidol universities did not even attend yesterday’s meeting. They assigned their deputies to show up instead.
Those who were present also refused to accept the explanation Phongthep provided at the beginning of the meeting.
“The government and the [ruling] Pheu Thai Party have listened to the opinions of people who have come out against the amnesty bill,” Phongthep said.
He said since the House of Representatives had already passed the bill, there was nothing it could do at the moment to tear it up.
“The Constitution does not allow the lower house to withdraw a bill that has already sailed through its third reading,” Phongthep said.
However, he assured the universities’ top executives that the lower house now seriously hoped the Senate would reject the bill so that the lower house would have the mandate to shoot down this bill later on.
Phongthep said he was aware that public distrust had prevailed and it might be necessary to issue a statement to clear the doubt.
“Statements at press conferences alone can’t give an assurance now. Many groups of people remain distrustful,” Rutchaneeporn said, pointing to the need for the government leader and government politicians to do more.
Naresuan University’s president Sujin Jinayon said the Cabinet should issue a resolution stating clearly that the current government would never revive the amnesty bill.
“The Cabinet resolution should also state that a House dissolution will immediately take place if it tries to push for such a bill again,” he said.
Sombat Yothathip, acting president of the Yala Rajabhat University, felt the Pheu Thai MPs should apologise to the public for pushing the amnesty bill.
The chief of the Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University also shared the same opinion.
Srinakharinwirot University’s Chalermchai Boonyaleepun said because senators and MPs were representatives of people, Parliament must listen to people when they voiced concerns about a particular law.
“If the MPs and senators can’t do this, they should resign,” he said.
He said now that the amnesty bill pushed by the government MPs had caused a serious uproar, they should step forward and apologise.
After all the top executives of the universities had finished their speeches, Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanit said, “I apologise. I will also relay your messages to the prime minister.”
Samart Kaewmechai, who played a key role in turning the amnesty bill into the draft law for a blanket amnesty, said the current government would definitely not revive this draft law again because any such attempt would likely lead to its downfall.
“We are now aware of the clear public opinion,” he said.
