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KUALA LUMPUR – The Universiti Malaya Students’ Union (UMSU) has warned of possible “forced action” in the form of a protest if the management of the institution does not meet its demands on the reversal of its new policy on tuition fees.
Responding to UM’s new “Zero Balance Policy”, which requires students to pay their tuition fees in full in order to maintain “active student” status, UMSU sent a memorandum to the management affirming its objection to the new rules.
The memorandum was received by Mahadi Sibon, special officer to the vice-chancellor.
The union’s general executive, Muhammad Noraiman Zulkifli, said the union is considering holding a rally or protest against the university if it remains silent on the demands.
“Last week, we delivered the first memorandum to the university and notified the (higher education) ministry about it,” he told reporters after submitting the memorandum earlier this afternoon.
“However, we only received an answer from them (management) yesterday that they will relax the rules for students who are sponsored or subsidised by loans or grants.
“Our expectations are high, but we’ll wait and see how the management responds (to us) before making any decision (on the protest). Accordingly, we will take all the necessary steps.”
Noraiman also said this was not the first time the university had given such notices at the eleventh hour, just after the commencement of a semester.
He slammed the decision because it might impact the students negatively, as they would no longer be able to take the examinations via a hybrid method, as allowed previously.
“This is the same with the notice on fees (given by the management), which is critical for the students, considering the nation’s current economic crisis has affected everyone.
“It is also undeniable that (UM) student fees are quite high (compared to other institutions).
“This is too much and painful! They (management) really don’t care about what happens to us. When we voice out our grievances, they only try to shut us up,” Noraiman added.
The union made a total of three demands in the second memorandum sent this afternoon, which covered student fees, housing problems, and welfare.
Meanwhile, UMSU president Ooi Go Shen said the student debt collection policy must be abolished because students cannot register for courses and modules in a new semester if they fail to settle full payments at the beginning of the term.
“This will also threaten the continuity of learning for UM students from B40 and M40 backgrounds, as well as for scholarship recipients,” Ooi said.
“The majority of students in the B40 and M40 (income groups) may not be able to make full payments at the specified time, especially since the official notice regarding this matter has not been given until now.”
Ooi also said he believed that the policy did not make sense and added pressure on students who face penalties for late payment.
In the memorandum, the union also asked that students funded by National Higher Education Fund loans, Public Service Department, and other scholarships should be allowed to keep attending classes while waiting for their funding to be credited into their accounts.
Ooi also said that it is important for the university to look after the welfare and education of students from poor backgrounds, as it is a public university, and not a private and commercially driven institution.
Other concerns raised included the university’s move to evict students from accommodation arrangements that UMSU initiated in 2019.
Ooi said the decision affected those from the lower-income groups who depend on the housing programme. “The rental is less than RM200 per month, but the university wants to take that (affordable) rate away from the students. And there's no telling if it will be used as a hostel for another group of students.” – The Vibes, August 10, 2022.
