Abolishing UUCA needs political will
In welcoming the Court of Appeal decision to nullify a section of the UUCA, law professor Azmi Sharom says abolishing the act altogether was another matter.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Universiti Malaya’s associate professor of law, Azmi Sharom, said the Universities and Universities Colleges Act (UUCA) 1974 is unlikely to be abolished altogether.
While welcoming the Court of Appeal declaration that Section 15 (5) (A) of UUCA is unconstitutional, he said the judgment and abolishment of the act altogether were different issues.
“The judgment is correct from a constitutional point of view and makes judicial common sense,” said Azmi. “But abolishing the UUCA is another matter.
“Abolishment needs political will and that is up to the government,” said Azmi who is also UM’s Academic Staff Association president.
In a 2-1 judgment yesterday, the Appeals Court declared Section 15 (5) (A) of UUCA 1974 unconstitutional as it violated Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
In April 2010, Muhammad Hilman Idham, Woon King Chai, Ismail Aminuddin and Azlin Shafina Adza were suspended for campaigning during the Hulu Selangor by-election.
Judges Hishammuddin Yunus and Linton Albert ruled in favour of four former students of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia who were suspended for campaigning for the opposition.
Low Hop Bing was the dissenting judge.
The High Court had earlier dismissed the students case against the university, prompting them to appeal.
