Dissatisfied with late disbursement of study loans to fellow undergraduates, a Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) student representative organised a protest at the main entrance to the campus two weeks ago. Yesterday, he was made to answer for this.

A source said the student was called before the Disciplinary Committee to explain his action and immediately suspended from the student representatives' council pending completion of investigations. He has also been told not to make any statements to the media.

The protest was organised because the National Higher Education Fund (NHEF) had held back disbursing loans to several students when this was due last November. They eventually received the money on Dec 26 for the current semester which runs up to March 13.

It is learnt that Student Affairs and Development Division senior assistant registrar Nazru Ismail, Securities Division head Noor Rizan Khalid and an officer from the Indah Kembara residential college conducted the two-hour hearing. They could not be reached for comment today.

The Management (Finance) student, 21, is the third in recent months to have been hauled up by the university authorities breach of rules prohibiting involvement in politics.

Soh Sook Hwa was warned and fined last December, while Ali Bukhari Amir is waiting for a decision.

'Problems minimised'

Contacted today, NHEF public relations officer Noora Md Yusof said the delay in releasing the loans could have been due to "technical faults" such as submission of wrong identity card number, bank account number or academic results.

"The students should realise that they are dealing with three parties - NHEF, the university and the respective banks. They cannot just pinpoint us (as being to blame). They need to understand that we are trying our best," she said.

"It is practically impossible to expect that there will be no problems. At best, we can only minimise them," she said.

However, she also said NHEF has tried to rectify procedural problems in various ways. It now requires colleges or universities to confirm whether or not the students have completed each semester, as required.

"The faster we receive the confirmation status, the faster we can process the loan. The co-operation we have received has been encouraging," she said.

"Students should contact me for information if they are unable to reach the relevant officer (at NHEF) for their university or college."

NHEF has offered loans to 103, 587 new students in local public and private universities this year.