The latest amendment to the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) will apart from allowing students to have political affliations, pave the way for them to enrich their attributes and facilitate their personal development.

STUDENTS can be actively involved in politics off campus and in peaceful rallies without worrying about getting into trouble with their universities, in the weeks ahead.

Paving the way for this change of landscape is the latest amendment to the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) which the ministry said was an attempt to add more elements of natural justice to the Act known by its Malay acronym AUKU.

The amendment was passed by the Dewan Rakyat via a voice vote on April 19, and will be tabled at the Dewan Negara on May 10.

Over the last four decades, students have not been able to take part in politics or rallies and faced a multitude of actions such as suspensions or even expulsions.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin had agreed that previously, public university officials had to carefully scrutinise and check if their students were involved whenever there were rallies.

However, there is a caveat though. All students are expected to be mature enough to understand that they would be subjected to natural legal process if they were to commit offences such as acts of crime, sedition and defamation, among others.

A Higher Education Ministry official explained at a briefing to editors last Wednesday, that it was meant to clear the air over amendments to the UUCA which is often seen as a touchy issue.

The official confirmed that the university will then naturally have the power to act upon the students who were found guilty by the courts.

However, the officials said, even those who are holding positions as student leaders in the university could stand as a candidate in either a state or parliamentary election.

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Changes for the better