DAP Youth urges UTM to drop charges against 18
A DAP Youth leader has urged Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to drop its disciplinary hearing against the 18 undergraduates charged for allegedly violating campus regulations last year.
Johor DAP Youth chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau said UTM cannot play the roles of "the accuser, investigator, prosecutor and judge, all in one" because it is against the rule of natural justice.
"On the contrary, as an institution of higher learning which is highly regarded by all, UTM should spearhead a nationwide campaign to abolish repressive laws curtailing university students," he said in a statement yesterday.
Boo was reacting to the action taken by UTM in hauling 18 of its students to an internal hearing this week.
It is learnt that 15 of these students were those who protested against the alleged irregularities in their students' council elections last November.
The students alleged that ballot boxes were tampered with during the elections and nominations of several candidates were made under questionable circumstances. They brought their case to the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) and the Education Ministry.
Meanwhile, three others were charged for allegedly "spying" for the opposition during the Indera Kayangan by-election in January.
Silenced by Act
Boo opined that there would be no democracy and justice in campus if students are continuously silenced by the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
"When adults of 21 years and above can canvass during the general election and join any organisation, university students are senselessly denied the right to participate in the country's democratic exercise and organisations outside the campus," he said.
Boo claimed that the hearing is a pre-meditated move by UTM to "skin the cat" by forcing the students to attend the hearing at the eleventh hour as those who need to register for the new semester will have no time to defend themselves.
UTM's new semester will commence in two weeks.
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