Kedah MB Azizan Abdul Razak should just join BN if he continues to support the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA), said former UIA lecturer Abdul Aziz Bari.

“If he continues to support the UUCA, then he should join BN, as BN is pro-UUCA,” said the constitutional law expert at a press conference in Shah Alam today.

He was commenting on the stand of Kedah MB Azizan Abdul Razak who has professed support for the use of the Act in the suspension of five students of the state-owned Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin), who are accused of taking part in an illegal demonstration.

NONE Abdul Aziz ( left ) also called on Pakatan to take stern action against Azizan as his stand is clearly against the party line.

“He has gone against party policies... They must take stern action against him, as it (repealing UUCA) is mentioned in their Buku Jingga,” argued the former law professor.

Quizzed about the announcement earlier today by Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin on handing over autonomy to five public universities, Abdul Aziz welcomed the move as a much-needed breath of fresh air for the Malaysian education landscape.

However, he said that speaking from the viewpoint of a lecturer, he is sceptical of the move as it is not the first time the government has made such promises .

“We won’t accept any more gimmicks. It must be real. Don’t just make (empty) promises, like the corporatisation exercise last time, how did it end up?” he asked.

Abdul Aziz was speaking to reporters after being a panel member during a dialogue titled ‘UUCA, is it still relevant?’ organised by Malay-language daily Sinar Harian .

During the forum, he said that the main problem with the Act is selective prosecution of the provisions which are open to abuse by the powers that be, adding that the fate of the law can be determined by the rakyat by making it an election benchmark.

“Pakatan wants to repeal the UUCA, the BN wants it amended. Let the rakyat decide during the 13th general election,” offered Abdul Aziz.

 

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