The students and parents of the Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS) have been facing lots of hurdles due to the issue of placement of the students in other universities. It is very saddening that the students who did not fail in the academic responsibilities are still waiting to be placed in a varsity to continue their studies.

The whole scenario begun when the college underwent a dire financial crisis and hardly any action was taken by any relevant ministries. This caused the deterioration in the college’s condition. The college administrators kept promising the students and parents that the issue would be resolved and the college will return to its fame and former glory time. Sadly there were no improvements.

As time passed by, many classes were being postponed and cancelled due to the absence of lecturers who were unpaid, and even the hostels were sealed due to poor upkeep of rents. There were no administrative staff members to run the show, and also IT facilities were compromised, adding to the students’ misery. The situation kept worsening as there was no damage control done.

Then, the relevant ministry came to rescue the students. Several meetings were held with the students and college administrative staff members to sort out the issue. In the meantime, students were left demoralised, depressed and disappointed for no fault of theirs.

Finally, after the media and dejected parents had highlighted the matter, the ministry came up with a solution of transferring all students to various other private colleges for which they were supposed to sort out all issues with the involved agencies such as the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), sponsor bodies, private institutions of higher learning (IPTS), etc.

The relevant authorities further arranged two open days meeting with various IPTS, parents and students. The students were then given the names of the colleges to join and were even called up by the respective colleges for admission and some even held informal orientations. Some colleges in fact informed the date to commence classes.

Students and parents were relieved that at least now they would be able to study in peace despite being demoted due to syllabus matching, although most colleges supposedly should have similar type of syllabus.

Unfortunately, within a few days, students were left in a limbo again. There were changes in plan due to no proper agreement between the two relevant ministries in view of quota distribution for a few specific medical colleges. Students and parents were overwhelmed by disappointment again and felt that they were being kicked around like a ball.

Recently, we were told that the relevant ministry has agreed to allow quota expansion for the involved universities but still students have been left in the lurch and are yet to be placed in any university till today. It is almost the third month that the students have been sitting idle waiting to begin their studies. How long more do they have to wait while the relevant authorities take their time to sort out the placements?

I am writing this on behalf of many parents and students who are undergoing so much of struggle and mental agony apparently through no fault of theirs. Is this the price that they have to pay? I hope that no students or parents should undergo this physical, mental and financial trauma in the future. Those who are in power, please help these dejected students to see light at the end of the tunnel.