The prime minister's move to implement meritocracy for university intakes may not serve its intended purpose of curbing student interest in political activities, said MPs from a component party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

Gerakan member of parliament for Batu Ng Lip Yong told malaysiakini today that students should be given room to express their opinions freely.

"After all, students all over the world are mostly anti-establishment. They are fired-up with idealism," he said at the Parliament House lobby today.

"Most political leaders were student activists at one time. And many of them go on to high profile positions after they graduate," he added.

Yesterday, Mahathir said the government would go ahead with a system based on meritocracy for the next university intakes despite protest from local academics.

He said the move was necessary as there were many students, especially Malays, who obtained entry with low academic results and later found to be active in campus politics.

The prime minister added that some student activists also threatened to campaign for the opposition in rural areas during general elections when they were reprimanded by university authorities.

"We give them a chance to acquire tertiary education qualifications and in return they threaten us," Mahathir was reported as saying.

He also suggested that students sign an agreement with universities for good behaviour.

Possible backlash

Jelutong MP Lee Kah Choon, also from Gerakan, told malaysiakini that while most student activists are 'idealistic', they are not necessarily anti-government.

He said idealism must be seen in the broader context of the country's stability and felt the premier's idea was to jolt Malay students out of their complacency.

Lee, however, said that signing a 'good behaviour contract' with the universities may not be practical.

"If university authorities want to ensure students' good behaviour, the contract between students and the university must be spelt out in detail and explained properly to the students," he said.

The 1971 Universities and University Colleges Act, he added, should also be explained extensively to the students to inform them of the restrictions on political activities.

Gerakan MP for Bukit Bendera Chia Kwang Chye welcomed the premier's move.

He said that sooner or later Malaysians would have to come to terms with competition.

"Faced with greater challenges such as globalisation, Malaysians have to be better prepared," Chia said.

He added that the premier's proposal was also one way to make the Malays realise that they cannot take their education for granted.

However, Chia expressed concern over a possible backlash from those who opposed the removal of the bumiputra quota in educational institutions.

"I am afraid if this happens, then the intended idea of meritocracy may not serve its purpose," said Chia, who is parliamentary secretary for the Energy, Communications and Multimedia Ministry.