The Higher Education Ministry today asked police and other enforcement agencies to investigate and take stern action against university students involved in prostitution.

uum discipline action against student 260209 mohamed khaled nordin Its minister, Mohamed Khaled Nordin ( right ), said although prostitution was illegal, the ministry and universities had no enforcement body to investigate the movements of students or take legal action against them.

Speaking to reporters after launching the RM15 million Teluk Intan Community College today, he said the authorities need to be firm in eradicating prostitution.

“The ministry and university can only provide counselling to find the cause for their involvement in such activities,” he said, adding that so far the ministry had yet to receive any report on actions taken against university students who were involved in the flesh trade.

He was asked to comment on reports that university students in Sabah had to resort to prostitution to pay for their education as alleged by Wanita Upko chief Dr Jaina Sintian, last Thursday.

    

In another development, Mohamed Khaled said in efforts to produce knowledgeable and highly skilled human capital, the government implemented various education programmes to transform Malaysia into a developed country.

He said education and skills were main factors to boost national development and progress.

He also said that community colleges, currently numbering 62 nationwide, would increase its courses from 49 to 135 and student population from 20,000 to 120,000 by 2015.

- Bernama