An influential student leader has warned that university students would reject the Kedah menteri besar if he continues with his hardline approach of adopting the University and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA) in the suspension of the five students.

The president of the National Council of University Students, Syahid Zaini, said Menteri Besar Azizan Abu Bakar's controversial stance reflects his attitude against the Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) students.

NONE"What is sad is that the Kedah MB supports the usage of the UUCA in the suspension of the five KUIN students.

"This clearly shows that Azizan lacks the maturity in handling the students and his ego as the state chief executive in being unconcerned over the plight of the people, especially the five students.

"As chairperson of the board of directors of the state-owned KUIN, he can use his wisdom to discuss and understand the issues at hand, and resolve the matter in an amicable way.

penang kedah timber logging azizan abdul razak 310708 02"I believe university students will reject Azizan (right) in the 13th general election, because of his hardline stance," Syahid added.

Syahid said this would also have severe repercussions on Pakatan Rakyat, which is being slowly accepted by all the people.

He pointed out that Pakatan's Buku Jingga has promised to repeal the UUCA, and that Kedah was ruled by a Pakatan government.

Kedah not respecting Pakatan platform

Meanwhile, the Lawyers For Liberty (LFL) group has also admonished Azizan's hardline stance.

"We condemn Azizan's vehement defence of the oppressive UUCA for taking part in a demonstration at the university. UUCA's use against the five students is a clear breach of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.

"This also runs contrary to Pakatan's reform agenda which includes abolition of all oppressive laws, including the UUCA.

NONE"It is simplistic and disingenuous of the Kedah MB to state that the law is the law, and therefore, it must be obeyed as this is similar to Umno/BN's justification for the continued use of Internal Security Act, Emergency Ordinance and Sedition Act," said LFL in a statement.

LFL reminded Azizan that the UUCA was deliberately amended in 1975 to restrict the student movement in political activities following the infamous Baling demonstration which witnessed 30,000 people, including students, standing up for the poor farmers in Kedah, demanding fair rubber prices and better living conditions.

"We demand Azizan to lift the suspension on the five students and to impose a moratorium on the further use of the UUCA in order to reflect the Kedah government's serious commitment to the policies of Pakatan Rakyat," it said.

Students take suspension to court

Syahid further added that university students continued to reject UUCA and want it repealed.

"Azizan should open his doors to negotiations. Treat university students as your own children and not the enemy," he said.

National student group Pro-M Nasional's president Mohd Taufek Abdul said they will continue to defend the five students in court.

NONE"Any form of tyranny and discrimination of the students should be prevented. They have filed court action and we will see who is right," he said.

It was reported that the five students were suspended for participating in an "illegal" assembly.

The students staged a rally last April calling on their college management to reconsider using one of its residential college buildings as classrooms for Quran studies students.

Action was subsequently taken against the five because they spoke to the media about their plight.

On Wednesday, some 20 students demonstrated in front of the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur over its silence on the students' suspension.