Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says public universities should open up to allow politicians from both sides of the political divide to speak in campuses to expose students to politics.In an interview with Sin Chew Daily, Saifuddin said many universities did not understand the essence of the amended Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
A very clear example, he said, is that some universities still do not allow their students to invite Opposition leaders to give political talks in their campuses.
"Do we want opposition leaders to come into the campus or want students to expose themselves to politics outside (the campus)? I prefer to let them (opposition leaders) into the campus.
"I have debated with Opposition leaders in campus. They respect the academic culture of universities when they talk politics, and their discussions with students, too, are more academic in nature."
Saifuddin does not believe that by allowing the Opposition into campus would affect the students' thinking.He said Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should not come up with regulations to keep the Opposition out of universities just because they cannot find leaders who dare to hold debates with Opposition leaders in the campus.
He said at the moment, BN component parties were not capable of promoting their ideologies to university students.
An advocate for the amendment of the UUCA before he was appointed a deputy minister, Saifuddin added that the government should amend Section 15 of the Act to give students the freedom to participate in political activities.
He said Section 15 of the Act bars students from joining any political party or taking part in any political activity without the approval of their universities.
source:the Sun
The only problem here, almost all public universities have UMNO appointed VCs, so mana ada chance opposition members to enter these campuses?
The deputy minister only ajak-ajak ayam.......
cheers.
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