UNIVERSITIES should approve more dialogue sessions on campus, said academics.

Their response came after the cancellation of Muda’s dialogue session on the welfare of interns at Universiti Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) Shah Alam campus yesterday.

They told The Malaysian Insight the incident should not have occurred, and that university administrators should have acted in a more mature manner.

UiTM called off Muda’s dialogue session on the exploitation of unpaid and underpaid interns, which was scheduled for Thursday.

The interactive session titled “Interns Are Not Free Labour”, organised by Muda’s affiliated body Mahasiswa Demokratik, was cancelled by the university on the grounds of maintaining campus harmony and to focus on spiritual programmes in the month of Ramadan.

In the statement, UiTM told its students they are free to participate in any politically related campaigns or activities on or off campus, as long as it is approved by the university.

“Students are only allowed to participate in talks on campus that have been approved by the university.

“The university is responsible for maintaining the institution’s reputation and ensuring activities held are in line with the values and culture of the university,” the university’s student affairs division said via Twitter yesterday.

Prof Azmi Hassan of Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research said although universities have their own autonomy, they should not suppress intellectual debate or discourse.

Azmi said UiTM should have researched a better solution instead of cancelling the event.

“If it (UiTM) feels the panellists are not balanced, it should call the organiser and look for a settlement. It should not cancel the event. An intellectual discourse must not be called off.

“Yes, it has its own autonomy and usually permission is needed, but there is no justification to cancel (the event) at the last minute,” he said.

Responding to the cancellation, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the incident goes against the government’s Malaysia Madani concept.

The Muar MP said it is an attempt to block his programme that calls for the repeal of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA).

Syed Saddiq said he agreed to hold a “peaceful” interactive session in UiTM Shah Alam after tarawih prayers, but on Tuesday evening, he was informed by the campus’ deputy vice-chancellor that the event was cancelled “to maintain harmony within the campus”.

The Muda president said he found it strange he was allowed to deliver speeches at universities when he was in an opposition party, but not now when he is part of the government.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said if a topic of discussion at universities is controversial or sensitive, the forum should not be allowed to take place.

“Academic forums, dialogues, discussions and discourse is part of the culture at a university. They should be allowed and usually there should be no problem in getting permission unless it is sensitive or controversial.

“In order to maintain peace I think the university has the right to call it off, but in this particular case, I am not sure why it was cancelled.”

Both academics agreed the government is not at fault and cannot be accused of suppressing the students.

A UiTM academic when contacted disagreed with the decision to call off the dialogue.

Declining to be named, he said it is shameful for UiTM to cancel the event while it strives for international recognition.

“We should move forward and allow critical thinking. Students are not products; they should be allowed to think and to decide. Such dialogue could be eye-opening for many.

“We want to be known internationally as a world-class varsity but at the same time we act as if we are in the Cold War era. Are we afraid of our own shadows?”

In February, Pakatan Harapan Youth said it is dedicated to eliminating the UUCA as outlined in the party’s 2022 general election manifesto.

Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman said representatives of the wing will meet with Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin soon to discuss the issue.

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim told Malaysiakini yesterday he had scheduled a meeting with Khaled to discuss calls for the government to repeal the UUCA. – April 1, 2023.