Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah today took to task University Malaya's (UM) management for attempting to stop a University and University College Act (UUCA) debate on bureaucratic grounds.

"To the best of my knowledge the students actually applied to the Law Faculty (for the debate) but somehow the Student Affairs Department (HEP) of the university was not notified.

NONE "As educators we should promote healthy debates, we should facilitate, not frustrate student efforts. Activism is a problem in the lack of it, so we should promote it.

Speaking on the sidelines after a Peaceful Assembly Bill debate at the Pusat Rakyat in Bangsar, Saifuddin ( right ) described UM's action as a "blatant use of procedures" to stop the student's good intentions for a debate.

Saifuddin added that he has spoken to both UM deputy vice-chancellor Rohana Yusof and the forum organiser Independent Undergraduate Activists Group (Kami) president Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz.

‘UM advised over action'

Asked if action would be taken against university administrators, the deputy minister said he would prefer to engage them in dialogue.

"I don't believe in legal action, I believe in talking to people and impressing upon people that the world has changed and the UUCA itself will be amended.

"Don't wait until the day the UUCA is amended, they must take the spirit that the government will be amending the law."

Noting that he too was prevented from participating in a UUCA forum by Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) last month due to the 'sensitivity' of the issue, Saifuddin said such another episode should never have occurred.

"To my mind this are sad things that should not happen and goes beyond doubt to prove that UUCA is bad and needs to be amended."

On Friday, four guards had attempted to stop the on-campus debate between the university's two rival factions, Pro-Mahasiswa and Pro-Aspirasi on the HEP's instruction, including turning off the lights off.

Despite negotiations, the management refused to compromise but the organisers managed to buy enough time for the forum to conclude.