The Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) 1971 is still relevant to safeguard students from agitation by political groups that may use them for their personal interests, said former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He was quoted as saying in a Bernama report that the legislation was drafted after demonstrations in 1971 by university students agitated by groups with political motives, accusing the government of having neglected the poor to the extent that an individual had died of starvation in Baling, Kedah.

"In fact, no Malaysian had died of starvation but our students had been used to stage the demonstration," he said in reply to a student of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) who had asked whether the legislation was still applicable now.

Mahathir and his wife, Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, were at the university's campus in Sintok, Kedah for the programme "Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with UUM Students".

Asked whether there was a need to amend the act because there had been claims that it violated human rights, Mahathir said the legislation had successfully distanced students from being agitated by "the traitors".

Return to studies

He said the students should be allowed to complete their studies so that they could assist the government to develop the country.

"It's because of this act that the number of graduates keeps rising each year," he had said.

He also said that students who had accused the government of being tyrannical then should have returned their scholarships to the government so that the money could have been used to buy food for the poor.

The nature of village folks, especially the Malays, was such that they would never let anyone among them to die of starvation, he said.

Earlier, in his speech, Mahathir said the country needed highly educated people to turn Malaysia into a developed country.

"We have achieved a little progress and the effort can only be continued by leaders who are sincere, trustworthy and knowledgeable," he said.

Before the function began, Mahathir witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (Proton) and UUM, under which the national carmaker would provide technical and academic assistance to UUM and internship programmes at its subsidiaries.