Gerakan today welcomes the announcement made by the Prime Minister to repeal section 15 of the UUCA 1971 to allow students above age 21 to be involved in politics.

Gerakan Vice President Dato’ Mah Siew Keong said that Gerakan and Gerakan Youth’s persistent political viewpoint on this matter is to urge the government to either abolish or repeal the outdated UUCA 1971 to uphold the basic human rights and civil liberty enshrined in the Federal Constitution. The act of repealing the said Act shows the determination of the government on political reform.

Under Section 15 of the UUCA 1971, university students are not allowed to form an alliance, support, empathize or oppose any political party, labour union or any organization or groups without prior permission by the university vice chancellor. Violators would be liable to a fine of RM1,000 or jail term of 6 months or both.

Dato’ Mah said that the university students are the future leaders of our country, they have a deeper understanding of our country’s political environment. They should also be given the liberty to be involved in politics for they are the leaders of tomorrow who will decide the future of our country. We should be confident with the political awareness, maturity of thought and wisdom of our university students.

Nevertheless, Dato’ Mah hopes the Prime Minister will reconsider the decision to appeal the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the UUCA case involving 4 UKM students. The Court of Appeal had set aside the decision of the High Court in the appeal case by the 4 UKM students. In September 2010, the High court ruled that section 15(5) of the UUCA 1971 was consistent with the Federal Constitution which the decision was later appealed by the 4 UKM students to the Court of Appeal.

Dato’Mah hopes for greater freedom in participation, expression and academic research for the university students subsequent to the repeal of the Act, however, to be fair, students should also abide by the rules and not bring in political ideologies and activities into the campus.