TURNING students into a third force in the country’s politics is the aim of a student movement that is planning a nationwide tour of public varsities, starting with International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) next week.

Through this, the Coalition for Academic Freedom-Institutions of Higher Learning (GPAIPT) wants to explain to these students about the importance of university autonomy.

GPAIPT’s president Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi said the ultimate aim was to make students the third force in the country’s political landscape so that they can provide a better check and balance.

Asheeq also said that part of the movement’s goal was to urge Education Minister Maszlee Malik to step down as IIUM president.

He said the decision to start the programme in IIUM next week was because GPAIPT felt the university was a good starting point to stress on the importance of university autonomy.

“I hope people realise that we can’t wait for changes to happen. We need to do something to provide check and balance.

“As undergraduates, we need to show that we can be the third force,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“We will explain to our fellow students on the need for autonomy in our universities.

“It is our responsibility to explain about the need for such autonomy. I feel among our problems is that out students are not aware of the need for autonomy,” he said.

He also said that through the nationwide campaign, GPAIPT also wants to hear other views from university students.

Full details of the nationwide tour will be announced later.

Asheeq and GPAIPT are vocal in their objection against Maszlee’s recent appointment as IIUM president.

They feel the appointment would be detrimental to the independence of public universities and goes against Pakatan Harapan’s promise to restore autonomy in universities.

Maszlee, after meeting the student activists, refused to step down, saying that his appointment was Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s choice. He also said he wanted to turn IIUM as the Oxford of Islamic universities. – September 23, 2018.