After weeks of speculation, the hotly contested annual Student Representative Council election in public universities nationwide has been set for Oct 2.

According to the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) website, nomination day is Sept 26. Thus, there will be a six-day campaign period.

This is the longest ever campaign period in recent years. Normally, campaigning will last no longer than three days.

The extension is believed to be the result of discussions between Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and Higher Education Minister Mustapha Mohamed.

Last week, Nazri told reporters that Mustapha agreed to allow a campaign period of between six to seven days.

Nazri's comments were based on complaints received as Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus chief from a group of university students who claim that the campus polls were not free and fair.

The announcement on the USM website comes three days after a 'fake letter' bearing the Universiti Malaya letterhead surfaced, claiming that the campus polls will be held on Sept 27.

E-voting

In another development, Vice-chancellors Committee chairperson Prof Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak said all universities are free to choose between 'e-voting' or through ballot box procedures.

Dzulkifli did not rule out hostels and residential colleges as balloting areas.

"For universities that choose to hold balloting in only hostels, residential colleges and faculty buildings, universities must prepare proper balloting centres to ensure that off-campus students can vote," said Dzulkifli in a statement.

Student groups have previously urged for balloting to be performed only in faculty buildings due to the possibility of identifying voters should they be forced to vote in residential colleges or hostels.

There have been reports of students being coerced to vote before they are allowed to leave hostels and residential colleges.

In the case of 'e-voting', student groups have criticised the method because of an alleged lack of transparency and that the system could be rigged.