Suhakam to mediate between UiTM, expelled student
Suhakam commissioner Prof Hamdan Adnan told malaysiakini today that the meeting would begin at 10am at the commission's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
"The student will be called together with the disciplinary committee of the university and we will try to resolve the matter amicably," said Hamdan.
He added that he, together with his colleague Anuar Zainal Abidin and other commissioners, would act as mediators.
Electrical engineering student, Rafzan Ramli, was expelled by the university on June 22 after he was found guilty by of being involved in an illegal assembly protesting the Internal Security Act (ISA). The gathering was held in front of the National Mosque on June 8.
Rafzan and five others were detained for nearly 24 hours at the Dangi Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur and were released on police bail. They have yet to be charged in court.
Rafzan sent a memorandum to the Commission a day after he was expelled and is also awaiting a reply from the Education Ministry on his appeal.
His memorandum among others called for Suhakam to look into the hearing conducted by the UiTM disciplinary committee, which he claimed was unfair and 'undemocratic'.
Uuca memo
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the Universities and University Colleges Act (Uuca), Anuar said the Commission was still studying a memorandum on it submitted by a group of students last Saturday.
Sections 7 and 11 of Uuca prohibit students from assembling without prior permission while sections 15(3) and (4) prohibit students and student bodies from stating support or opposition to any political party.
Thirty representatives from the Abolish ISA Student Movement met Anuar for two hours last week.
The group called for academic freedom for lecturers in local varsities, stating that local academics are not allowed to disseminate political statements or give a critique of any government policy.
