The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) today said the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) must be revised so institutions of higher learning are not exempted from the task of raising the next generation to think critically.

Suhakam commissioner N Siva Subramaniam said the commission will hand a memorandum on the matter to the Higher Education Ministry, adding that efforts to suppress students' political activism was inconsistent with calls from premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for "more transparency and freedom of expression".

"Our concern is with the Act itself, which is the major thing that we have to face. We have to correct it there," he told reporters at Suhakam headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Siva said this after recieving a memorandum from Students Solidarity Movement (SMM) representatives who called on Suhakam's intervention on behalf of Soh Sook Hwa , a Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) student leader who is facing the possibility of expulsion for her alleged involvement in the March general election.

The decision on Soh's fate as a final year journalism student will be made tomorrow at a hearing presided by USM deputy vice chancellor Professor Jamaludin Mohaiadin.

Meanwhile, Siva also praised the group of 30 USM and Universiti Malaya students that had come to the commission this morning to show their solidarity with Soh by witnessing the submission of the memorandum by SMM leaders Ramadhan Fitri Ellias and Chong Siew Ling.

Socially active

"I am proud of the solidarity shown by this group. This is a good sign. We want to see more young people struggling for human rights in the future. We want the young people to voice their stand, becuase you are going to be future leaders," he said..

He added that past efforts to produce meek and quiescent university graduates would not succeed with the present and future generations of students, many of whom were socially active and eager to exercise their rights to freedom of expression.

Earlier, Ramadhan had said university authorities tended to abuse their powers in curtailing students' right to be involved in activities outside campus.

Urging Suhakam to intervene on Soh's behalf so as to safeguard her rights as a voter as well as her human right to freedom of expression, he said the UUCA was a specific instrument which gave wide and absolute powers to university authorities.

"The UUCA is given absolute and wide powers to limit the ability of students to (participate) in activities outside campus. (It) has violated basic human rights and should be abolished," he added.

Think critically

Suaram coordinator S Arutchelvan, who was also present, noted that many government leaders, such as former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, were themselves student leaders and were involved in politics.

He said the UUCA was an anomaly amidst governmental efforts elsewhere in society, especially in schools, to inculcate civic consciousness and the ability to think creatively.

"We want our school students to be brave, think critically and be forthcoming in providing their views on matters. On television, issues are debated between the opposition and the government parties because we want these issues to take center stage.

"But in the universities, we restrict students so that they do not give their views," he added.