Universiti Malaya students from the pro-Mahasiswa faction today met the university’s deputy vice-chancellor in charge of student affairs Prof Rohana Yusoff to discuss issues concerning the state elections.

NONE This follows complaints by the pro-Mahasiswa faction that three candidates, who include one who is considered “independent”, had been unfairly barred from contesting. Appeals from two other students were accepted yesterday.

“We discussed about the Universiti Malaya elections rulebook, which most students do not agree with. The handbook was the cause of the unwanted events and drama that took place here yesterday,” said the group’s spokesperson Mohd Sabri Jamaludin ( left ).

Mohd Sabri was referring to the ugly scene outside Rohana’s office yesterday during a protest by about 100 students against the university’s handling of the campus polls which will be held on Monday.

NONE The protest was held yesterday after the nomination process, where four of the pro-Mahasiswa candidates were disqualified from contesting.

Mohd Sabri said that the meeting, which he and attended with another faction leader, Mohd Izzuddin Hilmi Mohd Zaini ( right ), was cordial and Rohana was receptive of their grouses.

“Previously, she used to do the talking, but today, it’s all good. There was a give and take situation,” Mohd Sabri told reporters after the two-hour meeting.

Aspirasi: Pro-M met opposition leaders

Mohd Said that Rohana was also told about the e-voting system because there was no transparency and it could be exposed to possible abuse.

However, Mohd Sabri lamented that Rohana did not make any promises to address their grievances.

NONE Mohd Sabri also denied rival Aspirasi faction’s allegations that his group had been approached by two politicians from PKR.

The duo are allegedly former PKR supreme council Badrul Hisham Shaharin and youth wing member Mohd Nazree Yunus.

He denied that he had met Badrul Hisham and clarified that Mohd Nazree was in fact a masters programme student at the university.

Earlier, Aspirasi faction chairperson Mohd Asri Zulkiflee told Malaysiakini that he received “information” about Badrul Hisham and Mohd Nazree’s involvement in the polls.

“Apparently, the politicians were offering them a helping hand,” he told reporters.

Aspirasi calls pro-M ‘vandals’

He said that it was inappropriate for university students to seek help from politicians from any party.

“It would only break us up into smaller groups and go against each other,” he said.

NONE Mohd Asri ( right ), a final year Islamic studies student, also said that he was saddened and shocked by yesterday’s incident that took place outside the deputy vice-chancellor’s office.

“How can students have the heart to vandalise university property and to ambush the deputy vice-chancellor’s office like that? It should not have happened,” he added.

A total of 43 seats are being contested in the UM campus elections, nine general seats, 32 faculty seats and two graduate seats.

Other than UM, four other universities, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) also held nominations for their student body elections yesterday.

Polling day for all five campuses falls on Feb 21, after a four-day campaign period.