Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has asked a final-year Communications student - being investigated over his personal website and a writers alliance he formed - to use his gift for writing to churn out pro-government pieces.

The university is worried that Ali Bukhari Amir, 28, would be exploited by media organisations that are not pro-government.

The student was told of this when called up by the university's investigation committee yesterday. He was also asked on his objectives of forming the writers alliance.

According to him, the committee had acknowledged his flair for writing and urged him to write on issues that are pro-government.

"You have talent in writing, but why is it (the writing) heading to the left?" was among the questions posed during the hour-long meeting, said Ali Bukhari.

He added that the committee also offered to help secure a place for him in 'pro-government' media organisations such as Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo .

Screen all universities

In a previous meeting on Feb 23, he told the committee that he started his website to rebut the allegations directed at him in another undergraduates' website, idealis-mahasiswa.net .

However, Ali Bukhari was summoned by the committee once again after his website focused on a report filed by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) regarding 128 cases of embezzlement involving its staff.

The student had suggested that the authorities screen all universities to determine how much assets their staff posses.

The student also highlighted to the committee yesterday that if he submits a proposal to register the writers alliance with the university's student affairs department, it would be rejected, as exemplified in previous attempts by other students with their respective initiatives.

To this, the committee suggested that he submits a proposal.

During the Feb 23 meet, Ali Bukhari was asked to furnish a written explanation on his motive to create the website and was also quizzed on payments he had received for his published articles elsewhere.

He initially fell under the university's cross-hairs over articles published in an opposition party organ and the campus publication, which touched on partisan politics among students.