In a bid to challenge the relevence of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) a group of university students arrived in Galas to observe the by-election process this morning.

But within hours some of them, from a group calling itself Jentera Mahasiswa, were detained by police for distributing phamplets that urged the Galas locals to get out and vote.

NONE "The police came to us saying that they have received complaints from PAS and BN, as well as locals about the students who were going around distributing pamphlets and talking to the public," said group spokesperson Shukri Kamaruddin.

"They asked all of us to follow them to the district police headquarters.

"However, after negotiations they only took away Gamis National Politics Council head Syukri Razak and three others."

The other students police took in during the around 1.50pm incident are Mohd Syahruldeen Ahmad Rosdi, Mohd Yusof Hadhari, and Rijaludeen Mohd Anwar.

Syukri Razak and the others are being held at the Gua Musang district police headquarters as Gamis president Ahmad Shazwan Mohamad Hasan works to get legal aid. They have also contacted the National Human Rights Council (Suhakam) which is monitoring the conduct of the Galas by-election.

gamis in galas 301010 lined up When contacted by Malaysiakini , Suhakam commissioner Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah, who oversees the council's operations in Galas said that he is away investigating a complaint in the Orang Asli area and will instruct his officer manning the Suhakam operations centre in Galas to look into the matter.

Calls to the police operations room to confirm the matter returned no results as the sergeant in charge said they are not allowed to divulge any details, adding information can only come from district police chief Saiful Bahri Abdullah.

A convoy to Galas

The group organised by Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia or Gamis arrived in Galas early this morning aiming to observe the by-election and interact with locals to inform them of national issues which the students believe to be important for Galas voters to know.

Organised by the Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia or Gamis, they came from university campuses across Malaysia, using the lull in ongoing university exams to make the journey in a convoy numbering about 17 cars and one bus.

gamis in galas 301010 gamis banner on four wheel drive "We are here to participate in the democratic process as a check and balance to the government.

"We represent the voice of the students who are the next in line for leadership, and must be given room to exercise our democratic rights under the constitution," Gamis president Ahmad Shazwan Mohamad Hasan  had said earlier at a press conference at their operations centre near the newly-built Gua Musang Hospital.

According to group spokesperson Shukri Kamaruddin, they are non-partisan and will not engage in any political campaigning.

What they aim to do, he explained, is to engage with the people of Galas and explain to them the important issues like the 2011 budget which they believe must be understood by the people of Galas to make the right decision.

Gamis National Politics Council chairperson Ahmad Shukri Abdul Razak who was also present at the event said that the AUKU is no longer relevant and indeed has never been relevant since its inception.

He also argued, that technically, Article 15 of the UUCA only prohibits students from being involved in political parties and not in the democratic process itself.

The group plans to remain in Galas until tomorrow before heading home to their studies.