Social reform movement Aliran today urged four local universities to allow seven suspended student to resume their education.

The seven has been in suspension for the past two years following their arrest and subsequent court case for illegal assembly.

The universities concerned - Universiti Institut Teknologi Mara, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia - had invoked the Universities and University Colleges Act to suspend the students after they were charged in the magistrate's court for taking part in an anti-ISA protest on June 8, 2001.

Their case is fixed to be heard on July 14 and in the meantime the students have turned to part time work and private education while waiting for the case to end so that they can resume their education at local universities.

Gross injustice

"The students have been subjected to gross injustice when their only crime was that they happened to be present during the demonstration," said Aliran in a statement.

"They had actually displayed a high degree of social and political awareness - an essential prerequisite for all future leaders and intellectuals.

"Though the university authorities might not like such independent thinking, they should at least wait until the court trial instead of prejudging the students."

The movement also said that the entire episode illustrated the university authorities' inability to appreciate the value of debate and dissent on and off campus.

Memo to minister

Meanwhile, earlier today, Universiti Malaya students' council handed a memorandum to the Education Minister Musa Mohamad, seeking the revocation of the suspension of all seven students.

Council chairperson Shahrul Zaman Lukman said the minister was empowered by the UUCA to revoke the suspension orders.

The students had also met with National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) last week, seeking a more pro-active role from the commission in solving their woes.

They have also found support in Keadilan vice president and recently released ISA detainee Tian Chua who said he would take the campaign to the international stage if domestic efforts to lift the suspension order do not succeed.