Poll disqualification: UTM decision undemocratic, say student groups
Roshan JasonPublished: Dec 2, 2004 2:07 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
University Teknologi Malaysia's (UTM) decision to disqualify 17 student representatives was strongly criticised by student movements today, who described the move as undemocratic and unreasonable.
University Teknologi Malaysia's (UTM) decision to disqualify 17 student representatives was strongly criticised by student movements today, who described the move as undemocratic and unreasonable.
Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) - a national level student organisation - representative Ramadhan Fitri Ellias questioned the move especially since the 17 were categorically elected by UTM students in its September elections.
"SMM thinks it's an unreasonable move. These 17 were elected by their peers and the election results must be respected no matter what reasons the university authorities use to charge them," he said when contacted.
The 17, part of an earlier group of 27 charged, were found guilty of breaching university election regulations after UTM authorities discovered that they made amendments to their campaign posters.
They were found to have replaced the original posters' photos - taken by a university designated photographer - with that of their own. The group, seen as 'anti-establishment' candidates, was unhappy with the quality of the photographs.
Misuse of powers
Another student movement, the Malaysian Youth and Students Democratic Movement (Dema) said the university-dictated election regulation, which prohibits candidates from using self-taken photographs, contravenes democratic principles of a fair and free elections.
"Furthermore, they (UTM authorities) have misused their powers under the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA), in punishing the students without strong evidence and arguments," added its national affairs secretary Ginie Lim when contacted.
The university's inconsistent handling of the case was another point in which Dema questioned the final decision's validity as seven other candidates charged with the offence were not found guilty.
Yesterday, UTM students affairs department vice-chancellor Prof Alias Mohd Nor revealed that those found guilty will have their positions replaced by election candidates who had secured the second highest votes.
Alias had also rejected the claim that the university was sidelining 'anti-establishment' representatives while promoting 'pro-establishment candidates'.
He had clarified that 14 out of the now-vacant 17 seats will be filled by those with the second highest votes while the three remainder seats will be left unoccupied until the next campus elections.
The vice-chancellor also stressed that the university was acting democratically.
However SMM's Ramadhan said it was unfair to instate those that had been "rejected by the student majority" and called for a fresh elections.
Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) - a national level student organisation - representative Ramadhan Fitri Ellias questioned the move especially since the 17 were categorically elected by UTM students in its September elections.
"SMM thinks it's an unreasonable move. These 17 were elected by their peers and the election results must be respected no matter what reasons the university authorities use to charge them," he said when contacted.
The 17, part of an earlier group of 27 charged, were found guilty of breaching university election regulations after UTM authorities discovered that they made amendments to their campaign posters.
They were found to have replaced the original posters' photos - taken by a university designated photographer - with that of their own. The group, seen as 'anti-establishment' candidates, was unhappy with the quality of the photographs.
Misuse of powers
Another student movement, the Malaysian Youth and Students Democratic Movement (Dema) said the university-dictated election regulation, which prohibits candidates from using self-taken photographs, contravenes democratic principles of a fair and free elections.
"Furthermore, they (UTM authorities) have misused their powers under the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA), in punishing the students without strong evidence and arguments," added its national affairs secretary Ginie Lim when contacted.
The university's inconsistent handling of the case was another point in which Dema questioned the final decision's validity as seven other candidates charged with the offence were not found guilty.
Yesterday, UTM students affairs department vice-chancellor Prof Alias Mohd Nor revealed that those found guilty will have their positions replaced by election candidates who had secured the second highest votes.
Alias had also rejected the claim that the university was sidelining 'anti-establishment' representatives while promoting 'pro-establishment candidates'.
He had clarified that 14 out of the now-vacant 17 seats will be filled by those with the second highest votes while the three remainder seats will be left unoccupied until the next campus elections.
The vice-chancellor also stressed that the university was acting democratically.
However SMM's Ramadhan said it was unfair to instate those that had been "rejected by the student majority" and called for a fresh elections.
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