Nazri pledges support for 'persecuted' students
Pauline PuahPublished: Nov 24, 2005 11:17 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus has come out in support of students who have been charged by their universities for allegedly being involved in activities that breached the University and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA).
The Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus has come out in support of students who have been charged by their universities for allegedly being involved in activities that breached the University and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA).
"The charges against the students are too trivial [...] I will persuade the Minister of Higher Education (Shafie Salleh) to drop these cases against the students," said the caucus's chairperson Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz after a meeting with the Malaysian Students Solidarity (SMM) movement in Parliament today.
He also said he would raise the matter at the next cabinet meeting and to convince ministers that controlling students would not help the mental development of these future leaders.
"I will fight for you (the students) in the cabinet to drop all these cases. If the current government has been seen as more liberal, why are there more restrictions at the university level?" he said to applause from the students.
He also agreed to assist a UM student who was allegedly assaulted by an assistant registrar at the university.
Show good example
About eleven students from SMM, including several facing charges, related their grouses to Nazri who is also minister in the Prime Minister's Department. They students were hauled up after they protested against malpractices in the September campus elections.
Ten student activists from University of Malaya (UM), University Putra Malaysia (UPM) and University Sains Malaysia (USM) have to date been summoned for disciplinary hearings by their respective universities.
Nazri said the campus elections should be conducted in a fair and free manner. "If you want to have the elections, you should ensure that they are fair and free. Otherwise, why don't you just appoint students you like at once?" he asked.
"If you want to teach students, then you should set a good example by having fair elections," he said, adding he would also try to persuade Shafie to respond to the students's allegations on the unfair campus elections.
"I will persuade him to respond to the complaints. But I cannot promise you to have a fresh campus elections. I am not the minister of higher education. It's beyond me," he said.
He said he would however try his best to ensure all unfair elements in campus elections next year would be eradicated.
UUCA promise
On the students' view that the UUCA be reviewed, Nazri said he was in agreement in his capacity as the chairperson of the caucus. "I will also raise this issue with the higher education minister and hope that he will keep his promise to review the act," he said.
"We should not be afraid of allowing our students freedom on campus," said Nazri, adding that he would initiate the setting up of a parliamentary select committee on education.
Caucus members Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Zaid Ibrahim (BN-Kota Baru), Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and Lim Bee Kau (BN-Padang Serai) were also present at the meeting.
"The charges against the students are too trivial [...] I will persuade the Minister of Higher Education (Shafie Salleh) to drop these cases against the students," said the caucus's chairperson Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz after a meeting with the Malaysian Students Solidarity (SMM) movement in Parliament today.
He also said he would raise the matter at the next cabinet meeting and to convince ministers that controlling students would not help the mental development of these future leaders.
"I will fight for you (the students) in the cabinet to drop all these cases. If the current government has been seen as more liberal, why are there more restrictions at the university level?" he said to applause from the students.
He also agreed to assist a UM student who was allegedly assaulted by an assistant registrar at the university. Show good example
About eleven students from SMM, including several facing charges, related their grouses to Nazri who is also minister in the Prime Minister's Department. They students were hauled up after they protested against malpractices in the September campus elections.
Ten student activists from University of Malaya (UM), University Putra Malaysia (UPM) and University Sains Malaysia (USM) have to date been summoned for disciplinary hearings by their respective universities.
Nazri said the campus elections should be conducted in a fair and free manner. "If you want to have the elections, you should ensure that they are fair and free. Otherwise, why don't you just appoint students you like at once?" he asked.
"If you want to teach students, then you should set a good example by having fair elections," he said, adding he would also try to persuade Shafie to respond to the students's allegations on the unfair campus elections.
"I will persuade him to respond to the complaints. But I cannot promise you to have a fresh campus elections. I am not the minister of higher education. It's beyond me," he said.
He said he would however try his best to ensure all unfair elements in campus elections next year would be eradicated.
UUCA promise
On the students' view that the UUCA be reviewed, Nazri said he was in agreement in his capacity as the chairperson of the caucus. "I will also raise this issue with the higher education minister and hope that he will keep his promise to review the act," he said.
"We should not be afraid of allowing our students freedom on campus," said Nazri, adding that he would initiate the setting up of a parliamentary select committee on education.
Caucus members Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Zaid Ibrahim (BN-Kota Baru), Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and Lim Bee Kau (BN-Padang Serai) were also present at the meeting.
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