A student had his diploma withheld by an institution of higher learning because he has HIV, according to a Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) report.

 

In the report released today, the MAC said the student only received his diploma after intervention from then Deputy Minister of Higher Education Saifuddin Abdullah ( right ).

 

"With the Ministry of Higher Education's assistance, the diploma was released," the HIV and Human Rights Mitigation Report 2013 says.

 

According to the report, the student, 23, was told that he had to declare how he got infected with HIV.

 

"The dean asked me to write a letter stating how I got HIV, who my hostel mate is, and all the risky behaviours I had taken part in to get HIV.

 

"He said that if I don't see the dean and the top-level management, then they would block my convocation. This means I won't get my diploma as well," the student who is only identified as FF, is quoted as saying in the report.

 

There were also comments made by university administrative staff that people with HIV cannot obtain scholarships.

 

It said that ministry officers said the reason for such declarations was to help provide assistance.

 

"Given that first-line medication is free and that overseas students can be given a supply of medicines for a stretch of six months, this concern, while possibly applicable to cancer and diseases with more expensive medications, is inapplicable to people living with HIV," MAC said.

 

The council said it is continuing to work with Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan ( left ) to remove the HIV declaration from university and scholarship application forms.

 

'Police planting drugs'

 

MAC also received complaints from drug users of police allegedly planting drugs on them and seeking bribes.

 

It said it had to mitigate cases termed as 'belanja' in street slang, where police plant drugs on drug users, and force them to pay off the police in order to avoid arrest.

 

MAC said it works closely with the police on such cases and they have taken disciplinary action on officers found guilty of such a practice.

 

The report also highlighted other areas of discrimination including:

  • Access to medication while in detention; and

  • Dismissal or withholding job opportunities and contracts.

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