A member of the ‘UKM4' today claimed that the university has withheld his dean's award until the group's court case against the university is settled.

Second-year political science student Woon King Chai, 22, said he was only informed of the decision yesterday evening.

"I went to see my faculty's chief assistant registrar, one Puan Norashikin, and she said they received advice from UKM's legal advisor to withhold the award until the court case is over," he said when contacted.

He added that he was told that the faculty made the decision in August, "so it's strange that they only inform me now. I was not even given a formal notification".

"I'm disappointed that the faculty is controlled by the decisions of the administration, which are not based on proper procedures... I was not even informed under which section they are taking the disciplinary action," he said.

For the next course of action, Wong said he will have to consult his lawyers.

NONE The so-called UKM4 comprising Woon and three of his course mates - ( from right in photo ) Muhamad Hilman Idham, 21, Muhammad Ismail Aminuddin and Azlin Shafina Mohamad Adzha, both 22  - are currently embroiled in a legal tussle with the university over UKM's decision to suspend them for campaigning in last April's Hulu Selangor by-election.

The group is challenging that the university's action under Section 15(5)(a) of the Universities and University Colleges Act had no basis and was not valid under the law.

The UKM4 however failed on Wednesday in their bid to secure an injunction to stop the university from proceeding to take disciplinary action against them.