Abim welcomes move to review public universities’ elections

KUALA LUMPUR: Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) has welcomed the move by the Education Ministry to review guidelines on Student Representative Council elections at public universities.

Abim vice-president Radin Imaduddin Radin Abdul Halim said student empowerment in universities must be strengthened to improve their rights and welfare, as well as to provide a platform for students to discuss civil society issues.

“The proposal will give them a sense of autonomy to determine the leadership of public universities’ student bodies.

“Students need to be prepared to be leaders.”

On Saturday, the Education Ministry said Student Representative Councils of public universities would be given full freedom to determine their leadership without the involvement of the university’s administration, beginning this year.

It said the process of campus elections would also be reviewed.

“The Campus Election Coordination Meeting between the Higher Education Department, Student Affairs Office and the Legal Officers of Public Universities today (Saturday) decided that campus election methods will be reviewed to allow students to handle the process in a transparent and independent manner.

“Student Representative Councils will have autonomy, with full freedom of expression, to indulge in politics or activities without the involvement of the university’s management,” the ministry said.

Radin Imaduddin said campus elections should be organised in a realistic way, instead of it being exploited, as was done previously, which resulted in a weak Student Representative Council.

“We are confident with students’ ability to mange their affairs by redefining the functions of the Student Representative Council to be student-centric.”