Selangor-funded varsity Unisel should not be branded a Pakatan Rakyat university, Selangor executive councillor Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Speaking at a Unisel's Bestari Jaya campus alongside BN and PAS reps, he said this is as Unisel does not only open its doors to Pakatan-friendly individuals.

He added that the same should also apply to Malaysia’s top university Universiti Malaya.

Instead of barring non-BN speakers like PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim last month, he said, UM should be open to all.

"I want the culture of forums like this to continue and I have always said this in the Selangor assembly; we don’t want UM to be an Umno university and Unisel to be seen as a Pakatan university.

"I had once urged for forums where all quarters are invited, and tonight we have YB Budiman. Maybe after this we could invite (Umno Youth chief) YB KJ (Khairy Jamaluddin)," he said yesterday.

Nik Nazmi (above) , who is also PKR's Seri Setia assemblyperson, was referring to BN’s Sungai Panjang assemblyperson Budiman Mohd Zohdi.

In his speech at the forum titled ‘Selangor Hari Ini’ (Selangor Today), Budiman said students should be encouraged to join politics and take up causes.

BN rep: Students should be in politics

Sungai Panjang assemblyperson Budiman Mohd Zohdi (below) said that being an activist does not automatically mean one will fail in one’s studies.

"Being an activist is something enjoyable as you will be swayed by this belief that you can change the world and buoyed by the notion that you are a change agent.

"So there are many among us who want to be activists and follow our ideals, but at the same time, we must also want to pass in our studies," he said.

 

"There is no point being an activist if you don’t complete your studies."

 

Agreeing, fellow panelist PAS Youth leader Kamaruzaman Mohamad said that students are the agents of change who will progress the nation.

"Students are the future. Barring students from politics before this was a mistake as universities are not factories that produce workers.

 

"Universities produce national leaders, so they must be given room to explore politics, be it on campus or national politics as they are the ones who will shape the nation’s future," he said.

NADIA OTHMAN is a trainee reporter at Malaysiakini .

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