A DAP leader today slammed Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) for barring a group of students from using a campus hall for a cultural exhibition and performance.

Party secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock described the excuse that the hall can only be used for academic purposes as "lame" and "unacceptable".

"The university's decision can only be seen as unnecessary, unfair and unjustified interference into the students freedom to conduct healthy campus activities," he said.

Yesterday, malaysiakini reported that some 50 UTM students staged a protest at the university's campus in Skudai, Johor after they were told that the hall could not be used.

The students held an impromptu Er-hu (Chinese violin) performance before unveiling protest banners.

The cultural performance was scheduled to be held yesterday.

Last-minute cancellation

Student Jeffrey Toh, one of the exhibition's organiser, said they had booked the university's Dewan Sultan Iskandar for the Chinese cultural exhibition and performance and the student affairs department had approved it.

"However, two days ago, UTM reversed its decision and informed us that our application to use the hall had been rejected," he said, adding they were informed the hall could only be used for academic purposes.

Toh claimed that in the past, concerts and other events were allowed to be held in the venue.

Meanwhile, Kerk claimed the latest controversy was another in a string of cases where university authorities prevented Chinese students from carrying out their activities.

The DAP leader also took Deputy Education Minister Hon Choon Kim to task, saying: "He (Hon) always has an explanation or excuse to offer when a controversy happens. However the problem does not seem to be resolved."

"It is therefore time that a solution is provided to such unjustified and unfair university decisions," stressed Kerk, who is also the member of Parliament for Kota Melaka.

UTM authorities could not be reached for comment.