KUALA LUMPUR – The Higher Education Department has insisted that the new “Guidelines for Entertainment Activities (Concerts) in Higher Education Institutions” is meant to be a reference for the institutions to develop their respective guidelines.
In a statement, the department also instructed university management to include student representative councils and unions in the drafting process.
It said that this is to ensure that students’ voices and needs are taken into consideration, as well as to guarantee that the guidelines are suitable for each institute and locality before being adopted.
The department added that the order is in accordance with Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s announcement for university concert guidelines to be prepared with the involvement of student councils and unions.
“The space and opportunities given to these students are elements of empowerment as the main stakeholders. This is in line with the student empowerment agenda being carried out by the higher education minister.”
However, University of Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) said it intends to submit a protest petition to the ministry, with the endorsement of other student bodies.
The group said this was in response to Khaled not officially announcing the ministry’s unequivocal withdrawal or cancellation of the guidelines.
In the petition, Umany panned the ministry for increasing control over student activities, limiting freedom, and expanding conservative policies on campuses.
It also urged the ministry to abolish the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and return students their autonomy.
Umany will push ahead with its leave application for a judicial review on the guidelines and appealing for the public to donate to its cause.
Previously, Umany and the Rahman Student League called for the Higher Education Ministry to retract the guidelines, citing its directives as “extremely conservative”, “absurd” and “unreasonable”.
Subsequently, Khaled said he was not consulted on the guidelines and has not given his approval or rejection on the matter. – September 5, 2023