"Never mind, let them."     

This was Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin's response when asked by reporters whether the ministry had identified the undergraduates who tried to hand to him a gravestone last Friday.     

Indicating that no action would be taken against the students involved, Khaled said he did not wish to be dragged into something that was considered an immature act.     

Met after opening the SMK Permas Jaya Parent-Teacher Association meeting here today, he said higher learning institutions were a platform for discussing issues and conflicting opinions in a mature way where views from all quarters were listened to.     

"But bringing along a gravestone shows they are not confident with their presence at the higher learning institutions," he said.     

He also regarded the action of the students involved as a cheap publicity stunt.     

About 100 pro-mahasiswa members gathered in front of the Higher Education Ministry building in Putrajaya on Friday, demanding for campus elections to be held soon.     

The group who claimed to be representing seven student bodies started gathering there at 2.45pm to hand over a three-point memorandum and a gravestone to Khaled.     

They, however, only managed to hand over the memorandum to Khaled's political secretary, Mohammad Khairi A Malik, who refused to accept the gravestone.     

Besides demanding for campus elections to be held soon, the group also wanted democratic and welfare rights be returned to all undergraduates and to free the university and college campuses from political interference.     

- Bernama