The High Court in Kuala Lumpur granted leave to four students to challenge the guilty verdict meted out by their university after protesting a town hall meeting held by 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy last year.

Justice Azizah Nawawi granted leave to the four students, all members of the University of Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany), as the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) were not in attendance despite filing objection papers last month.

In May, former Umany president Ho Chi Yang, current deputy president Tan Jia You, publicity bureau head Chua Hun Ti and secretary-general Lau Li Yang were found guilty on three charges by Universiti Malaya’s disciplinary committee, and fined between RM200 to RM600.

The students were charged with being detrimental to public order and decency and interfering in an official university event when they raised placards bearing the words “1MDB pulangkan duit rakyat” (Return the people's money 1MDB) at the town hall event in Oct 2016.

The Umany members filed appeals to UM's Appeals Committee, after which their fines were downgraded to strict warnings. However, the guilty verdict was not overturned, which would effectively prohibit them from contesting any society posts in their university.

In challenging the guilty verdict, the students named the Appeals Committee (Jawatankuasa Rayuan Tatatertib Pelajar) and Universiti Malaya as respondents.

The verdict was said to be unconstitutional, as it violated Article 10(1) (a) on freedom of expression. The students also claim that the provisions under Kaedah-kaedah Universiti Malaya (Tatatertib Pelajar) 1999 are unconstitutional, because the same disciplinary committee carried out the investigation, prosecution and judgement.

Lawyer Lim Wei Jiet, representing the students, told Malaysiakini that a date will be fixed for the merits of the case to be heard, which will precede a hearing on the merits of the judicial review.