Teo disagrees with call to revoke degree
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching has expressed disagreement over calls to revoke Universiti Malaya (UM) civil engineering graduate Wong Yan Ke’s degree.
“I personally disagree (with the calls),” she said.
She said this in response to calls to revoke Wong’s degree after the 23-year-old staged a oneman-protest during his graduation at Universiti Malaya’s 59th convocation on Monday.
Wong claimed that he had yet to receive his transcripts, unlike other graduates who received theirs upon returning their gowns.
Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman had also disagreed with calls for Wong’s degree to be revoked, despite feeling that the latter should not have chosen the university’s convocation as a place to air his dissatisfaction.
Asked on the view of the Education Ministry, Teo said engagement was the key in resolving the issue.
“To solve the issue amicably, we need both sides to engage, not enrage. We are in the process of doing that,” she said.
Earlier, Teo witnessed the launching of “Back-to-School” 2019 programme, a collaborative effort between the ministry, McDonald’s Malaysia and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Hakam President Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar said UM could not legally revoke Wong’s degree.
“With utmost respect, the statement by the president of National Professors Council, Professor Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose, that UM has the right to revoke or withhold the degree of its graduates who staged a protest during the university’s convocation on Monday is misconceived in law.”
He said the university senate could not revoke the degree under its rules. This was because the university was governed by the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971.
“It provides for the adoption of a prescribed Constitution, which reigns supreme. Any inconsistency with its provisions is invalid under Section 8 of the Act.
“Under Section 53 of the Constitution, the board of directors may recommend the revocation of a degree that has been awarded. But this power is circumscribed,” said the former UM law professor.
Nijar said to revoke the degrees, the senate must be of the opinion that the graduate was guilty of “scandalous conduct”.
“This conduct is defined. It is when a graduate had given false information to obtain the degree. Then, too, the recommendation must be made by no fewer than two-thirds of all members of the board.
“The recommendation is made to the chancellor. He must give the graduate an opportunity to be heard before taking any action.”
Nijar said the protest by the student who was awarded the degree clearly did not fall within the misconduct for which his degree could be revoked.