Free Malaysia Today
Mon, 24 May 2010 16:29 . .By Ken Vin Lek
KUALA LUMPUR: Student NGO, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia, today called for the University & University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA) to be repealed with immediate effect.
The call comes in the wake of four University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) students who were charged under Section 15(5)(a) of the act for allegedly for taking party in political activites.
The four are Muhammad Hilman Idham, Muhamad Ismail Aminuddin, Azlin Shafina Mohamad Adzha and Woon King Chai, all political science students.
They were detained by police when they were in Hulu Selangor on April 22 to observe the by election campaign. The four were released after police found no evidence of mischief.
They now face disciplinary action and have been asked to attend a disciplinary hearing on June 3 at the UKM campus.
“Students, as one of the stakeholders of a university, should be given an opportunity to exercise academic freedom in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence,” said the NGO in a statement
“They should not be demonised and punished for exercising their inalienable right to pursue knowledge in their chosen fields.”
“Section 15(5)(a) of the UUCA Act is in direct contradiction with Article 199 of the constitution which guarantees Malaysian citizens above the age of 21 the right to vote in elections.
“It is a form of expression and participation in politics and not recognising that is a blatant disregard and disrespect by the University,” added the NGO.
Suspend UUCA for five year, says Kit Siang
DAP’s Ipoh Timur parliamentarian, Lim Kit Siang, last week, urged the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to suspend the UUCA Act for five years to demonstrate he has the political will to implement the NEM, which places emphasis on ‘retaining and attracting talent.’
He said UUCA is like a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of university students and stifling their growth, creativity and the pursuit of excellence.
“The BN government is doing the very opposite of what is being espoused in the NEM,” said Lim.
Lim, also questioned the double standard of Umno in forming Umno Clubs for overseas university students and yet prohibit students in local public universities from showing any interest in politics.
Meanwhile, MCA’s vice president Gan Ping Sieu also called for the government to repeal provisions in the UUCA that prohibit students from taking part in political activities.