Universiti Malaya students protesting the poor WiFi service in the campus claimed victory after the varsity’s management agreed to slash the fees by RM40 from the original RM100, less than 24 hours before a slated demonstration.

However some 50 students, led by UM student representative council members, proceeded with the protest yesterday afternoon, claiming the move fell short of their demands.

“This issue has been going on for 15 weeks and there has been no improvement, but after we said we wanted to demonstrate, they reduced the fees a day before the march. However, we want the fee to be abolished altogether,” said UM student representative council vice-president Tan Tiong Yi when contacted.

Immediately after the compromise solution was struck, UM’s Student Affairs Department had announced a ban on the protest through Facebook.

“All students are forbidden to participate in the WiFi demonstration on Friday. This is because the WiFi problem has been resolved through a meeting between the student representative council and the UM management,” said the posting.

                    

Tan said several police and Light Strike Force personnel, most stationed near the entrance, had been deployed at the university but did not interfere with the protest.

“We decided to gather at the parking lot of the Law Faculty because we were worried that we would be arrested by the police,” he said.

Protest also in support of Adam

Campus authorities had levied an ICT fee of RM100, covering the WiFi service and software application, at the start of this year.

Despite the fee, students had complained that the WiFi service has steadily deteriorated .

Tan added that they have gathered over 8,000 signatures opposing the fee and plans to submit it to UM vice-chancellor Ghauth Jasmon next week.

However, he noted that Ghauth has agreed to abolish the fee, but only in three years’ time as a contract has already been signed.

As of yesterday, several UM students had through Facebook confirmed that RM40 has been refunded into their accounts.

we are all for adam adli student banner Aside from protesting the ICT fees, Tan said the students also gathered in solidarity with fellow undergraduate Adam Adli Abdul Halim from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).

Adam faces disciplinary action from university authorities for allegedly lowering a flag of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak at the Umno headquarters during an academic freedom protest last week.