A group of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) students have cried foul over a change in their course that will leave them with an unrecognised degree.

The students who requested anonymity said they had registered for the Bachelor of Accounts Honour but this was later changed to Bachelor of Commerce Honour.

"If it's Bachelor of Accounts Honor, it is recognised by the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), but since they changed the name it will not be recognised by MIA anymore," said one of them.

She claimed when the issue was raised with the Faculty of Management and Accounts dean Lai Satt Sian, he gave them two options - extend another year to complete the Bachelor of Accounts Honour or sit for a qualification exam recognised by MIA.

Another said the Education Ministry was to be blamed for the fiasco as they had changed the system.

Loan woes

Meanwhile, the students also claimed that the university has not been responsible in dispersing the higher education loan (PTPTN) as some students in their third semester, only received the loan once in the second semester.

"How are we going to pay more than RM4,000 a semester without the loan? The university promised us during the registration to arrange the loan and make sure we will get it, and now they ignore us" alleged one student.

When contacted, Utar officials said that the dean concerned was on leave.

However, Lai was recently quoted in a Chinese daily as saying that he will try to get MIA's approval for the Bachelor of Commerce Hounour programme and that it was more pertinent for the Education Ministry to recognise the programme.