About 40 student activists from various universities in the Klang Valley today sent a memorandum to Education Minister Musa Mohamad seeking a resumption of election for the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's College Representatives Committee.

The students from UKM's Undergraduates Society were accompanied by students activists from the Majlis Pelajar Malaysia (Students' Councils of Malaysia) and six other student organisations.

They were the Barisan Bertindak Mahasiswa Negara (BBMN), Gerakan Demokratik Belia dan Pelajar (Dema), Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM), Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Semenanjung (Gamis), Gerakan Mahasiswa Lantang Negara (GMLN) and Kelab Rakan Siswa-siswi Islah Malaysia (Karisma).

An official representing the Education Minister met seven of the students representatives at about 11am at the Education Ministry as Musa was engaged with an official appointment.

"He told us that they will examine the memorandum and make the appropriate proposal to Musa," said PMUKM president Iqbal Jusoh @ Nordin.

PMUKM alleged that the decision by UKM to abolish the election of the College Representatives Committees since last year is unconstitutional and against the Universities and University Colleges Act. The election was replaced by an interview-and-appointment system.

UKM is not the first university to have abolish such student elections. Universiti Utara Malaysia cancelled the election of its College Representative Committee last year.

Meanwhile, the student representatives held a press conference this afternoon to announce the establishment of the Student Rights Acting Committee to campaign for students' rights.

The statement issued by the seven national students unions stated that UTM's rejection of the Chinese New Year Expo at the last minute and the subsequent show-cause letters to the three students representatives were "unreasonable and violated" the rights of the students.