(Petaling Jaya, Monday): DAPSY welcomes the decision of the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to postpone hearings scheduled on next Monday on 5 USM students alleged for distributing leaflets and spoke to media without permissions from the authority.                                                                           

Although we believe that this is an advance for us, but we believe that this is a small victory in our struggle to repeal the infamous University and University College Act (UUCA), as the act is still exist to suppress personal freedom on university students in Malaysia.

The Ministry of Higher Education has earlier announced that the Ministry is in the process of reviewing all acts related to universities in Malaysia, including UUCA. Therefore, DAPSY would like to reinforce our position that since the Ministry is in the process of reviewing these acts; all universities shall immediately suspend all charges against students charged either under UUCA or the tatatertib.

As a newly appointed Minister of Higher Education, we believe that Datuk Mustapa plays a very important role in reforming higher education in Malaysia. In order for him to do that, the prerequisite is that the Ministry should prepare itself to listen to constructive voices and opinions from various sectors of the society.

We hope that the Ministry can push for the formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Higher Education to empower Parliamentarians in improving the quality of higher education in Malaysia.

Therefore, DAPSY write to the Minister to seek for an appointment with the Ministry of Higher Education to discuss various methods to improve the quality of higher education in Malaysia, especially in discussing various efforts undertaken by the Ministry in amending UUCA and other acts related to higher education in particular emphasis on student and academic freedom.