A PUBLIC university vice-chancellor has slammed student activists who spent their time protesting but neglected their studies, saying that their role as students was to focus on getting good grades.

“I am not saying you cannot change the world. I am just saying that you cannot do it now, when you are in university,” said Sultan Idris Education University vice-chancellor Prof Mohammad Shatar Sabran.

“If you get a high enough CGPA, you would graduate and one day, find a post with the power to change your world. But not when you are still studying.”

Shatar also hit out at an increasing number of Malay students who did poorly in university, but were active in protesting.

“You should focus on getting a CGPA of 3.7 and building good character.

“These days, Malay kids get 1.9 CGPA and then go and protest in front of Parliament to demand the government abolish PTPTN,” he said, referring to the National Higher Education Fund which gives out student loans.

The CGPA is the average of grade points obtained in all the subjects and papers taken in university. A CGPA of 4.0 is the highest.

Shatar was a panellist at a townhall meeting under Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 2050 National Transformation (TN50) initiative.

PTPTN loans have been a divisive issue and student groups have in the past mounted demonstrations calling for the debts to be abolished.

Student activism has also flourished in public universities after the government abolished the Universities and University Colleges Act which forbade their involvement in politics.

Ever since then students have protested against a variety of issues, including education and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal. – September 28, 2017.