Barisan Nasional parliamentarians want greater freedom for our universities but they are at odds on whether students be allowed to participate in political activities.

They gave their views at a brainstorming session on the review of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) at the Parliament House today.

Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam), who was among the 15 MPs present at the 30-minute session, said they have mixed views regarding students involvement in politics, both on and off campus..

"We unanimously agreed that students should be given more room to participate in activities outside of campus. We want a more open (campus environment) - not too rigid," he told reporters after the briefing session.

Wee, a former student leader at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, is particularly interested in Section 15 and 16 of the UUCA.

The MP has repeatedly called for a review of the two provisions that dealt with student freedom and the "excessive and absolute power" of vice-chancellors.

Section 15 of the UUCA prohibits students from having political affiliation and bar them from expressing support or sympathy to "any society, political party, trade union or any other organisation, body or group, without a prior written consent from the vice-chancellor".

Whereas Section 16 spelled out the vice-chancellor's extensive powers, among others, "in suspending or dissolving a student group that the vice-chancellor deemed as detrimental or prejudicial to the interests of the university".

The restrictive university act - which was enacted in the 70s during the height of the students movement - also prohibits students to hold any gathering of more than five people, engage in part-time work and release media statements without the written permission from the campus administration.

Many student groups have previously called for a review of these restrictive provisions.

On the poor turnout of the MPs at today's briefing, Wee said he believed it was due to the short notice given by the Higher Education Ministry as the 199 BN MPs were only informed last week.
The Ayer Hitam parliamentarian also felt that the 30-minute discussion was insufficient.

Another MP, Abdul Rahim Bakri (BN-Kudat), said he believed students should have the right to political participation but not to the extent of holding posts in political parties.

A similar meeting on the UUCA amendments will be held for opposition MPs on Thursday.

Ministry tightlipped

Meanwhile, Deputy Higher Education Minister Ong Tee Keat and the ministry's management department director-general Prof Dr Hassan Said - both of whom were present at today's function - were tightlipped on the details of the proposed UUCA amendments and its on-going consultation.

Despite being pressed by reporters, Hassan refused to divulge more information apart from saying that the review would be "holistic", which include the governance of universities, students' freedom and the powers of vice-chancellors.

Although the meeting was attended by only a handful of MPs, Hassan said the feedback was "positive". The ministry aimed to table the amendment bill of the UUCA in the next session of parliamentary sitting in September.

The review of the UUCA was conducted by a special panel, which among others comprise of constitutional expert and renowned academician Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi.

He was at the meeting today to present an overview of the UUCA amendments to the BN MPs.

Meanwhile, Hassan said he had no knowledge of the claims by parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang that the ministry was selling its list of students who had failed to obtain places in public universities to the private institutions.

Lim, in a statement today, highlighted that students who failed to get places in local universities had received a 'conditional offer' from a local private college to allow them to continue their studies.