Local universities have already dispatched student affairs officers to identify student activists who are participating in the upcoming by-election campaigns in Indera Kayangan.

A spokesperson from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UTM) confirmed that two teams of security officers have been sent to Perlis.

The eight to 10 people sent so far will be able to recognise UTM students as the officials are all from the university's student affairs office, said the spokesperson who declined to be named

Meanwhile, the university has yet to take action against the sole UTM student found along with seven other students and a housewife within the premises of the Barisan National operations centre in Perlis last Saturday.

The nine, said to have been 'spying' for the opposition, have since been released pending police investigations.

However, the spokesperson said that 'stern action' will certainly be forthcoming. "We are waiting for the black and white from police for us to proceed," she said.

According to Bernama, four Universiti Sains Malaysia students detained last Saturday were today interviewed by the university's Internal Investigation Committee.

Committee chairman Noorizan Khalid was quoted as saying that the four, who were second- and third-year students, had given statements on their involvement in the incident.

He also said that the outcome of the probe would be forwarded to the student affairs department before detailed investigations were carried out.

'Too young to fool us'

In a separate Bernama report today, Perlis Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim said that he was certain that many more students are still loitering in the northern constituency to campaign for the opposition.

"Although they will not admit it we know they are students. They are too young to fool us," he reportedly said.

He issued a directive yesterday for all public universities to send officers to Perlis to ensure that students are not involved in any campaign activity.

The Indera Kayangan by-election on Jan 19 will see MCA Perlis Wanita chief Oui Ah Lan taking on Keadilan candidate Khoo Yang Chong, who is the executive secretary of the Chinese Kwang Tung Association. Campaigning will begin on nomination day this Thursday.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Khor Tiang Lee who was Perlis MCA chief.