STUDENT activists may decide not to meet Education Minister Maszlee Malik on Wednesday if the meeting is not held at the Education Ministry in Putrajaya.

The meeting was mooted by the minister following protest by the students last Friday over his appointment as International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) president.

Spokesman for the group, Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi said they were first informed that the meeting would take place at the ministry but then the venue was changed to a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur.

“If its an official discussion, it must be held at the ministry. The minister must be transparent about the meeting.

“I want to invite the media and reveal to them what had transpired at the meeting,” he told The Malaysian Insight today.

He also said that they have yet to receive any official invitation for the meeting apart from a WhatsApp message from one of Maszlee’s officers.

The Malaysian Insight understands the students will hold a meeting later today to decide on the “invitation” for the meeting.

Meanwhile, an official from the Education Ministry confirmed that the venue for the meeting was changed due to the minister’s schedule.

The new plan is for the minister to meet the students at the new venue right after his event.

On Saturday morning, Asheeq, 23 and Siti Nurizzah Mohamad Tazali, 23 were arrested after they refused to disperse from the main entrance at Parcel E in Putrajaya, which houses a few ministries including the Education Ministry.

Asheeq and Nurizzah were released after almost six hours of being held in Putrajaya district police headquarters.

They were part of a group of students who were against Maszlee’s appointment as IIUM president as they want him to concentrate on his job as a minister and allow more autonomy for public universities.

Only Asheeq and Nurizzah were arrested as they were in the ministry’s compound.

Maszlee, who was in Sarawak on an official visit, then said he will meet the students on Wednesday “as they insist on conveying their views on why I should resign as the International Islamic University Malaysia president”.

Maszlee this evening in a statement said he maintained his “open door” with the students and was committed to meeting them this Wednesday at 6.30pm.

He said Asheeq had already agree to the meeting after being informed by the minister’s officer.

“I firmly believe in protecting the students’ right to freedom of expression and in university autonomy,” Maszlee said.

Nurizzah, meanwhile, said the meeting should be held at the ministry as the students want to discuss other big issues with the minister, not just his IIUM appointment. – September 10, 2018.