The spotlight is on Kedah’s state-funded education institution Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin) again as students protest the decision to relocate their faculty to another site without proper notice.

Five hundred and four out of 1,200 students have signed a petition over the move to relocate the Muamalat (Islamic Administration and Banking) Faculty from Kuala Ketil to Mergong, saying they had not been issued a written notice for the move.

NONE Several representatives had gathered to hand over a memorandum on the matter to Kedah Menteri Besar Muhkriz Mahathir.

Zulkifli Osman, a spokesperson from the MB’s office, received the memorandum, saying a reply would soon be sent to Kuin about the students’ plight.

“This move had disturbed our emotions, interrupted our studies and involves our financial situation,” said the faculty students, who requested to be known collectively as Mahasiswa Prihatin 3K.

NONE “We prefer to stay put in Kuala Ketil and if Kuin insist on moving us, please give us proper written notices or else it reflects badly on their management,” said a student from Sabah, who was one of the representative who handed over the memorandum to Muhkriz, at his office in Wisma Darul Aman, Alor Setar.

Kuin provides hostels for most of the students, who come from all over the country.

The move to relocate the students would affect their living conditions as many would have to look for accommodation since the hostels in the Mergong facility are yet to be ready.

‘No prior notice’

The students lamented that other than a meeting with faculty dean Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadir on July 16, no prior notice has been issued to them.

They were told during the three-hour meeting, where they registered their protest against the move, to relocate to Mergong on Aug 4.

NONE “It’s a problem especially for students like me from East Malaysia. Also, this move affects our financial capacity since not all students have scholarships or financial aid,” said the student, who hails from Sabah.

The students requested anonymity as it is against Kuin’s rules and regulations for them to issue statements to the press.

Kuin has been in the spotlight even during PAS administration of the state when 200 of its staff members staged a peaceful demonstration against their rector, Prof Dr Jamil Osman, for allegedly failing to take care of the welfare of workers and students.

Jamil has since resigned, while acting rector Prof Che Barni Mohd Noor is unavailable for comments.

In July 2011, hundreds of students protested against the institution’s decision to sack five students for taking part in a rally in April to urge the management to reconsider using one of its residential college buildings as classrooms for Quran studies students.

Former PAS Kedah MB Azizan Abdul Razak came under fire for supporting the suspension by adopting the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, which earlier barred students from political participation and participating in rallies.