Amending the Universities and University Colleges Act 1974 (UUCA) alone will not be enough to ensure institutional autonomy, said a group of students.

Representatives of Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia and Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin) have demanded that the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 and Companies Act 1965 be amended as well.

NONE "If Section 15 (of the UUCA) is going to be repealed and replaced, several sections under both these (other) Acts must also be looked at, as similar bounds are imposed," SMM chairperson Ahmad Syukri Abd Razab told Malaysiakini.     

The related enactments, said Ahmad Syukri, have posed a problem for five students, who have been suspended for taking part in an illegal assembly in April.

They had called on the Kuin management to reconsider using a residential college building to hold Quranic studies.

“Section 10 and 11 of the Companies Act and Section 46 and 47 of the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act were used against them,” Ahmad Syukri explained.

Roundtable talks

The student group today approached the Higher Education Ministry in Putrajaya with a memorandum and was assured that its demands will be discussed during roundtable meetings due to start in two weeks.

Ahmad Syukri said Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had informed them that the discussions will consult stakeholders on amendments to Section 15(5)(a) of the UUCA, which now bars tertiary students from being involved in politics.

“We talked for about an hour and aired our views. Saifuddin has given his word that, when the roundtable sessions are over, a proposal will be submitted to the cabinet,” he said.

 

“We hope the talks are progressive and will bring about the long-awaited resolution to allow more freedom for students.”

The decision to amend the UUCA was announced two weeks ago by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

This came after the Court of Appeal ruled that Section 15(5)(a)  is unconstitutional, in a case involving four Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia students.

They had been charged with campaigning for an opposition party during the Hulu Selangor by-election in April.