PETALING JAYA: The Universiti Malaya (UM) student union is adamant that a portion of the fees that have been paid to the university be returned to students, citing under-utilisation of facilities due to the movement control order (MCO) as the main reason.
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Its secretary (special duties) Hafizan Azimi said the union had handed over a petition to UM vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim on the issue on Wednesday (June 17).
“The MCO has caused all academic activities on campus to be halted. Students and lecturers had to conduct all teaching and learning activities online.
“The union is representing the student body to ensure fees for sporting facilities, library and more be returned as the facilities were not used at all, ” he said in a statement issued Thursday.
However, he said the ministry needed to consider the institutions’ financial sustainability and who would be compensating the losses incurred by IPTAs should fees be reduced.
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Prof Mohamed Mustafa said discussions were already underway with the vice-chancellors of the IPTAs, and they would present their findings to Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad.
“We will make an announcement on the matter soon after looking at all aspects, ” he said, adding that this did not mean that a reduction in fees was confirmed.
Prof Mohamed Mustafa, who encouraged public institutions to work together with the ministry as they fall under its jurisdiction, also said students’ views on the matter would be taken into account as well.
Bernama reported on June 1 (Monday) that there were calls by parents and students to have the fees lowered.
This is because students are not fully utilising the facilities on campus since most had returned to their hometowns when campuses were shut down due to the movement control order.
-The Star