The shift of values in modern times has made the public thirst to discuss and debate laws, issues and anything under the blue sky of Malaysia and at times the world.

Not allowing so would only attract discomfort, a mundane mind-set and an under-developed intellect - hence the pursuit of the freedom of expression as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.

This freedom, if use wisely, is important so as to allow the stakeholders of the nation to take the necessary action to further catapult the mind in upgrading the process via expression in refining the thinking and values of Bangsa Malaysia.

But things do not always seem to be as easy as it looks in getting that sort of perfect ideal to materialise.

This is so as there will always be another side to the coin. Not long after the hoo-ha of Professor Dr. Abdul Aziz Bari's suspension by the International Islamic University Malaysia, we are now facing yet another episode in the world of academia.

Students by virtue of the decision of the Court of Appeal Malaysia are now allowed to get involved with political parties.

So wouldn't this be a good news to all? Now with such leeway students will be able to get into action to support and campaign for the party of their choice.

But hold on people, take a good look at this matter again. What then happens to academic neutrality if the people of the academia world which in this case are the students themselves is not political-alignment free?

An academic institution is only as neutral as it's inhabitants. Without the people, the institution would only consist of bricks and walls. And when it has inhabitants, it must be critical and speak of the truth.

Critical development of the mind of the students and the rakyat is without doubt the target of any educating institution or any sane minded government.

This is among the main factors of why students set forth to a higher learning institution - To learn how to make well informed decisions.

And as such, universities offer the chance to discover the knowledge to make well informed decisions and not to shut one's mind to the argument of others.

For the past few years, the number of debates and discourses regarding issues in higher education institutions has increased tremendously.

A recent discourse in my university for example was on the 2012 budget announcement.

The debates can still happen without one needing to express support to any political party. Even if the same issues are coincidently debated at the same time by political parties outside campus walls, their objectives are for political gains whereas university's discourses and debates strive on searching the truth or the best option for the society.

Higher education institutions' discourses and debates however are not done just to win arguments.

Let us now ponder. What if the government now allows students to get involved in political parties? What should be the limit?

Will it affect the institution's integrity and neutrality? How can the institution protect itself?

One should remember that once a public has linked a person to an institution, we may carelessly judge that they have actually presented the view of that institution.

One example - the case of Professor Dr. Abdul Aziz Bari where the institution made an investigation to find out whether the statement that he made on DYMM Sultan Selangor was on behalf of himself or the university.

This particular situation compels that a new guidelines must be properly constructed in understanding of what should be the way for an academic institution as well as its inhabitants to approach political matters by giving opinions but not to the extent of going beyond the line of neutrality.

Although one is curious how an academician or a student can remain to be neutral and critical while aligning oneself to a political party.

In result of the court's decision as well, one would expect several student groups will start to further glaringly emerge in the coming years.

They are, those that are for the involvement of students in politics, those for neutrality academic realm and those that would sit by and watch.

Within these groups, there are however certain individuals that chants loudly during the day that no particular infiltration of politics should be allowed on campus grounds but at night supports that students should be involved with politics without realising that they themselves are the capsules that brought forth political influence to other members of the academia.

They have became of what they despise in the first place.

Cliched arguments that students or youths no longer have any political awareness seems to be the reason for the cause of the fight of these people.

But letting students to be involved and support certain political parties does not necessarily mean that their political awareness increases.

Political awareness depends on the person's interest and their surroundings. Political awareness depends on wanting to help the nation.

An academic institution's purpose is to serve as a guiding light to the society. This is especially when the society now seems to be made confused by many factions and interested individuals.

It is the function of the academic institution to guide the society in avoiding calamity, restoring peace and develop the nation. This only can be done if it is well respected.

And it can only be well respected if its members are not aligned to a certain political party but stand tall in giving its opinion.