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Published: Wednesday August 11, 2010 MYT 3:07:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday August 11, 2010 MYT 4:12:04 PM

Students not allowed to be involved in political parties, Cabinet decides (Updated)

By KAREN CHAPMAN


PETALING JAYA: Students will not be allowed to get involved in political parties, the Cabinet has decided.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who made the announcement Wednesday, said the decision, however, did not however prevent students from learning about and following political developments.

"Section 15 of the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) 1971 is already adequate as students are allowed to be involved in political parties if they obtain permission from their vice-chancellors," he said in a statement.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday that the Government would not change its stand in prohibiting university students from getting involved in political parties.

Muhyiddin, who also the Education Minister, had reminded students at matriculation colleges and higher education institutions that they were still bound by provisions under the Universities and University Colleges Act.

Muhyiddin said when the Act was last amended, it provided students with more freedom of speech.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said on Tuesday there should be more open discussions on the issue of allowing university students to take an active part in politics.

Barisan Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had on Aug 2 said the wing unanimously supported a recent Umno Youth resolution urging the Government to allow undergraduates to join political parties.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said many university students had voiced their wish to become members of political parties.

He said university students who approached MCA Youth had also questioned the rationale to bar them from politics while their counterparts overseas could become members of Umno, MCA or PAS clubs.

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