Two student activists from Universiti Malaysia Sabah have been summoned to attend a disciplinary hearing on Jan 25 over their participation in the Bersih 5 rally last year.

Suara Mahasiswa UMS chairperson Mukmin Nantang and former "Tangkap MO1" coalition member Nurul Aqilah Muhammad Zainuzi were the latest to join a growing list of students being threatened with disciplinary actions under the University and University Colleges Act 1971.

When contacted, Nurul Aqilah (photo) said she did not receive any show-cause letter prior to the hearing notice dated yesterday (Jan 16).

"I am now doing my internship but I will have to go back to the main campus for the hearing," said the final year student at UMS Labuan International campus Faculty of Finance.

Nurul Aqilah said she was accused of going against a university circular which prevented students from participating in the Kota Kinabalu Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19.

Mukmin (right), meanwhile, said he had yet to decide whether he would be able to return to campus from his hometown in Tawau.

"Tawau to Kota Kinabalu is very far, almost 500km. Now we are on our semester break until Feb 13.

"I just got the notice and so far have not decided whether I would be able to go back to Kota Kinabalu," said the final year student, who similarly said he did not receive any show-cause letter before being summoned for the proceeding.

Both Nurul Aqilah and Mukmin were accused of going against Procedure 3(a)(ii) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (Discipline of Students) Rules 1999 which prohibited student participation in activities deemed as a threat to public security and order.

If found guilty, they risked being fined up to RM200, banned from certain parts of the university, suspended or expelled.

Earlier this month, diploma student Ahmad Arifin Shakimin from UiTM Seri Iskandar campus was also summoned to face a disciplinary hearing over participation in Bersih 5 and the "Tangkap MO1" rally.

In the past few months, Universiti Malaya student Anis Syafiqah Md Yusof and two other student activists had been suspended for a semester for their involvement in the "Tangkap MO1" rally.

The other two were Mohd Luqman Hakim Fazli and Mohamad Luqman Nul Haqim Zul Razali, while another student activist, Suhail Wan Azhar, was fined RM400.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia student Asheeq Ali Sethivi was also served with a one semester suspension for involvement in the rally.

All five of them have filed originating summons in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to seek an order that the disciplinary actions against them were unlawful.