KUALA LUMPUR – The Higher Education Ministry has no qualms about allowing the participation of university students in politics inside and outside of campus, said its minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (Kota Tinggi-BN).
“The ministry has no issues with allowing students to be involved in political activities, inside and outside of campus.
“(This) includes becoming a member of a political party and holding a position in it, as well as contesting in any campus, state, general, or by-elections,” he said in a parliamentary written reply.
Students are also permitted to be agents of any political candidates and be involved in campaigns for the elections.
Khaled was responding to a question by PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (Alor Setar-PN), who asked the ministry whether it was prepared to allow university students to be active in political parties.
The minister said the political freedom given to university students is in line with the government’s amendment to Section 15(2C) of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (Auku) on August 1, 2012, before subsequently abolishing it on March 15, 2019.
He added that Section 47(2)(C) of the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996, as well as Section 10 (2)(C) of the Educational Institutions (Discipline) Act 1976 – which applies to Universiti Teknologi Mara, polytechnic institutions, community colleges, and Institute of Teacher Education – have been amended to allow students to participate in politics.
“All of the ministry’s efforts symbolise its serious commitment to allowing students to be involved in politics during their education, as long as it does not disrupt their studies at universities.”
Earlier this year, the ministry said the government expressed its intention to improve Auku to provide university students with more freedom to participate in political activities.
But it was against repealing the act altogether, as it could affect the governance of public universities. – November 29, 2023