Two Universiti Malaya (UM) students were found not guilty after an inquiry was conducted into allegations of breaching rules under the 1971 Universities and University College Act (AUKU).

NONE According to a notice given by the university, the students were charged for inviting the Selangor menteri besar's political secretary, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, to officiate the UM Muslim student society's annual general meeting.

If found guilty, the students can be punished by up to two of five penalties listed below:

1. Warning

2. A fine of less than RM 200

3. Prohibited from any area or certain areas of the university for a stipulated duration.

4. Suspended for a stipulated duration.

5. Expelled from the university

NONE The proceedings started at 9:45am with fourth-year Islamic studies student Muhammad Haafizuddin Abirerah (right) who was represented by fourth year UM law student, Goh Han Koon.

According to Muhammad, a panel of three officials, led by the chairperson of the students disciplinary committee, professor A Hamid A Hadi, participated in the inquiry. Three witnesses who are students' affairs officials were brought in to testify against him.

Second-year bio-medical engineering student, Abu Ubaidah Amir Abdul Malek, represented by Yap Zhen Jun who is a second year law student, faced the same panel and was presented the same charge.

Before the verdict was out, the students were each called in separately to sum up their defence. In the proceedings, both students voiced out their disagreement with the archaic provisions in the UM statute which was enacted in 1971 and was not amended along with new AUKU amendments.

They claimed that the old provisions that restrict students from inviting outsiders to the university is not in line with the spirit of the new provisions which give the students more freedom.

"We were given a warning and advised to follow the rules as provided in the UM statute," Muhammad said.

‘Outsiders' invitation status unclear

Both students are happy and relieved over the verdict. Their representatives also agreed that it was a good and fair decision as both maintained that they have committed no wrong.

However, when asked about what the panel warned them against specifically, the students are unsure whether the panel is forbidding all interaction with ‘outsiders' or whether invitations to outsiders are permissible as long as authorisation is given.

Serdang parliamentarian Teo Nie Ching who was there throughout the proceedings, said that although she is happy for the students, she is dissatisfied that the students were given a warning although proven innocent.

She said that the panel should specify what the students are allowed to do in the future with regards to invitation to ‘outsiders'.

"What is wrong with inviting ‘outsiders' to UM? They are not terrorists," she added.

In fact, she said that the students should not even have to ask for permission to invite leaders to the university; rather it is sufficient to just inform the officials.

NONE The two students were among eight who were threatened with disciplinary action for inviting outsiders to UM student events.

Later on the same day, the six other students, from the Chinese language society, were also cleared. They had previously invited several politicians to act as jury for a debate. They are law student Chan Kheng Fai, accounting students Chan Wei De, Koh Ming Cher, actuarial science students SawYee Fung, Ng Xin Ying and economic and administration student Yong Siew Cheng.