PARLIAMENT The move by Mara to terminate sponsorship of its students to Taylor’s University has nothing to do with the private institution’s decision to stop the services of a bus operator which had used its vehicles to carry protesters to the red shirt rally on Sept 16, said Rural and Regional Development Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

(The buses bore the logo of the university.)

"The decision to stop sponsoring Mara students to Taylor’s University has nothing to do with the (action of the university) to terminate the contract of the bus operator," he said.

The sponsorship of Mara students was determined in accordance with current needs, he said in a parliamentary written reply today.

He was responding to Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) who asked whether Mara had stopped sponsoring students to Taylor’s University because the institution had terminated the contract of the bus company for ferrying protesters to the red shirt rally.

On Sept 21, Ismail had said Mara would no longer sponsor future students to Taylor's . He said there were various reasons for this action he did no t el a borate .

It is believed that Taylor's decision to terminate the contract of the bus operator was one of the reasons.

However, Mara students already studying at the university are not affected.