GE13: UM student, 23, to challenge Najib for Pekan seat

(The Star) – A 23-year-old Universiti Malaya student will challenge Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for the Pekan parliamentary seat in the 13th general election.

Gerakan Mahasiswa PRU13 (GM13), a coalition of student groups, will field political science student Mohamed Bukhairy Sofian as an independent candidate.

He said the group was fielding a candidate as a call to reform Malaysia’s higher education system.

“We want to highlight our manifesto and bring these policies to Parliament.

“We will not sideline the issues affecting the local residents (in Pekan) as well,” he said during a press conference here on Friday.

Mohamed Bukhairy is a member of the UM student representative council, as well as the chairman of the Nasional Students Representative Council.

Solidariti Mahasiwa Malaysia (SMM) chairman Muhammad Safwan Anang said the manifesto had been forwarded to both the ruling and opposition parties last month, but has yet to receive a response from either side.

The student manifesto outlines eight main points, including full autonomy for local universities, academic freedom, free education at the tertiary level, and that students are allowed to manage their own affairs.

When asked whether he was confident about winning, Mohamed Bukhairy said, “I will do my best… the point is to try.”