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Published: Tuesday September 18, 2012 MYT 4:53:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday September 19, 2012 MYT 12:52:25 PM

Khaled brushes off university polls demands

By MARTIN CARVALHO


KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has brushed aside demands by a group of student protesters for reforms prior to the campus polls.

"We expected such protests as it is usual prior to the polls.

"They are also aware that the polls had been postponed earlier this year by the respective universities due to various reasons," Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin told reporters after launching the Curriculum and Talent Development Task Force in Islamic Financing here.

Khaled explained that some of the demands made by the students, such as fixed polling date, were not feasible.

"The campus polls are held annually and not like the general elections.

"Setting a fixed date for the polls to be held on a particular day each year would not be feasible as the universities have to consider the best date for the polls," he said.

He also said the ministry has no intention to provide funds for candidates, a demand made by the group, as it had not been the preactice.

"Even in the general elections, it is the party that has to source for its own campaign funds," he added.

Khaled was commenting on a group of university students who held a peaceful protest for campus election reforms on Sunday.

They are calling for, among others, a fixed poll date on the academic calender, student involvement in the campus elections committee, an independent body to monitor campus polls, a more transparent voting system, freedom to campaign, and equal distribution of funds to all candidates.

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