The Education Ministry should also be involved in discussions that Youth and Sports Ministry has initiated with students to discuss amendments of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA), according to a student leader.

Ahmad Zaki Yamani Zainon, the secretary-general of the National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students (PKPIM), said after all, Youth and Sports Minister Hishamuddin Hussein won't be making the draft amendments.

Ahmad Zaki was commenting on the statement made by Hishamuddin that "feedback from students will be considered should amendments be made to the UUCA".

The student activist believes the statement could just be another attempt by the politician to gain some political mileage.

Today, The Star reported Hishamuddin as saying that the National Consultative Youth Council would meet on Thursday to decide on a "bigger youth representation, to include politicians in the body and discuss the issue further".

He also said that the government, the council and committees within his ministry had always ensured that the welfare of students took priority.

"If he (Hishamuddin) want to have a meeting, we have no problem," Ahmad Zaki said, adding that he hoped the ministry will consult with a wide spectrum of people and not just the "selected groups".

He added that the ministry should consult the "established groups" of students' bodies such as the Students Representative Councils from local public universities, national students bodies such as the PKPIM and the Malaysian Students' Council, but not political-aligned groups such as the Gerak Bakti Foundation which is closely linked to Umno Youth.

Ahmad Zaki also told malaysiakini that PKPIM had proposed the establishment of a National Education Consultative Council to discuss matters relating to the welfare of the students.

However, to date their proposal was met with "cold" response from the Education Minister Musa Mohamad.

"We'd asked for an appointment with the Education Minister but there is no reply from him thus far," he said.

Another student activist, Chai Chee Fatt from the Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (Dema) told malaysiakini that the students are not against the UUCA because it has the provisions for the effective administration of students in campus.

However, he said the students are against some "outdated provisions" such as those which hinder the students from associating with any person or organisation from outside the campus.

"It oppresses the right of the students (from freedom to association)," Chai said.

Nevertheless, he welcomed the invitation by Hishamuddin for consultation, stressing that it must be "sincere and concrete".

"It must not be a political gimmick," he said.

Universiti Sains Malaysia's Student Representatives' Council president Salmy Anas also expressed similar sentiment.

"We are not asking for the UUCA to be repealed. However, several sections in the Act must be amended to give more freedom to the students to express their opinions," he said.

Salmy welcomed the invitation from the ministry but he said it should not be mere rhetoric.

"We are hoping for some results to come out of the consultation," he stressed.