NGO slams “repeat offender” Universiti Malaya for punishing students using the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
PETALING JAYA: Universities should be a platform for students to debate on matters of public interest and they should not be punished for doing so, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today.
Its Asia deputy director Phil Robertson in a statement said, “Universities should be places of open discussion and debate. Students should not be penalised for peaceful speech under the guise of enforcing school discipline.”
The statement was in reference to the referral of six University Malaya (UM) students (UM6) to a disciplinary hearing for holding a press conference last year in protest to the university’s plan to enforce an Internet quota in its campus.
Robertson claimed that UM had consistently silenced students from speaking out, banned speakers from its campuses and blocked student assemblies using the “broadly worded” University and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
“The UUCA prohibits students from being involved in political party activities on campus, or from joining or saying anything that may be reasonably construed as expressing support for any society or organisation deemed as unsuitable to the interests and well-being of the students or the university,” he said.
He stressed that Malaysian universities should instead celebrate civic discussion engagements by their students and “not repress it.”
“The restrictions in the UUCA and the university disciplinary rules are contrary to the spirit of academic freedom, it violates principles of free speech and assembly, and should be repealed.”
The UM6 had in a press conference last year spoke about their concerns on possible plans by UM to impose a new monthly limit on students’ Internet usage.
The university denied such allegations and initiated disciplinary proceedings against the group.
They were however let off with a warning last week.
-FMT NEWS-
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