Deputy minister says will investigate UM for stopping UUCA debate
(The Malaysian Insider) – Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said today he is investigating the move by Universiti Malaya (UM) to halt a debate on the Universities and Unversity Colleges Act (UUCA) last night.
The Temerloh MP asked on micro-blogging site Twitter that those who were at debate to inform him of the actual events that occurred.
“I am disappointed that the UUCA debate in UM last night was interrupted. I am investigating it.
“Whoever was at the UUCA forum last night, please give me information of the real story of why it was cancelled by UM management,” Saifuddin wrote.
Student activists Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (Kami) had said in a statement today security officers forced the debate to end prematurely after acting on orders from deputy vice chancellor Datuk Rohana Yusof.
Kami secretary general Khairul Naim said the academic debate was interrupted by security guards and “special branch” officers who shouted at those attending to leave the hall at the Law Faculty and stop the debate immediately.
But Rohana, who is in charge of student affairs, said today the organisers did not ask for permission to hold the event.
“They made no application to hold the debate. Even the dean of the Law Faculty had no idea the event was being held in his faculty,” she said.
Academic freedom has come under the spotlight recently after a recent court ruling declaring section 15 of the UUCA unconstitutional.
