Sacking risk for protestors

Malaysia's education ministry has warned university students and lecturers they will be expelled or sacked for taking part in demonstrations following the conviction of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim of corruption, Geoffrey Parkins writes.

The academic community of all racial groups has always been overwhelmingly behind Anwar, but the intelligentsia has now been joined by Malay groups who traditionally would have supported prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. Police fired tear gas and water cannon laced with a yellow eye irritant to disperse demonstrators.