Hitting the books: UUM will continue to have their exams from July 31 to Aug 20, including the day of the six state elections.
PETALING JAYA: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) students want their final exam dates to be maintained despite state polls being held on Aug 12, smack in the middle of assessment season.
UUM Student Representative Council (MPP) president Muhammad Izuan Faiz Abdul Rahman said the council had requested the dates from July 31 to Aug 20 be maintained.
“When the first exam notice was released stating that the exam dates would be moved from Aug 11 to Aug 13, and continue from Aug 21-23, students primarily from Sabah, Sarawak, and overseas, voiced their concerns since they were affected by issues like plane ticket rescheduling and refunds,” he said when contacted.
Muhammad Izuan said the council then approached the university, and it was decided that the university would stick to the original dates.
He said the council did not want students to be burdened, especially as many had to fork out a large sum to go back home after their exams.
“We do not want to discourage students from voting, but they must plan accordingly so it will not affect their exams.”
He said the original exam dates had been issued long before polling day date was announced.
In a Facebook post shared by Alor Setar MP Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, a notice issued by UUM on July 10 stated that exams would continue to be held from the end of this month until the middle of August.
In the first notice, UUM had postponed the exams to allow students to return home to vote.
According to a student who only wanted to be known as Idham, 21, his friends from states having elections said they did not think it was worth it to travel just to vote, and most of the students were happy with the exam dates.
There were also concerns circulating on social media over whether the second notice issued by the university was fake after the font used in both notices appeared different. However, a student clarified that the notice was real as he had received it via his student email.
Meanwhile, a source from the university said students who would be sitting for their exams and need to return to vote could speak with their lecturers.
The source, who works at UUM, said the students could request permission from their lecturer to postpone the exam.
Some 2,000 students from the university are expected to be taking the final year exams at UUM.
On July 19, Bernama reported Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin as saying that the majority of higher education institution students are expected to be able to vote in the six state elections on Aug 12.
“Now students are undergoing exams. By polling day, most universities would have finished their exams, the students will be on holiday... back in their hometowns and villages,” he said when met by reporters after launching Barisan Nasional Hulu Terengganu’s election machinery.
Previously, the media reported that UUM and Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) were among the universities affected by the polling date set by the Election Commission for the six state elections.The six states are Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan.
