Kicked out of hostel, students cry foul

Two University Putra Malaysia (UPM) students claim they were kicked out of their dormitory less than a week before their final examination for being members of the percieved 'anti-establishment' Muslim Students Association (PMI).

Speaking to Malaysiakini today, third-year students Nur Shafiqa Ali and Nor Farhana Farzieana said they suspected that they were given a 24-hour evacuation notice on Oct 14 because the campus polls were drawing closer.

"Similar incidents have happened to other PMI members before but nothing like this has taken place… No one else has received any evacuation notices before," said Shafiqa who is majoring in biology.

Both students are currently lodging outside campus with a friend.

Shafiqa also said she and her roommate Farhana have had problems with their hostel management since the beginning of the semester in July when they were denied a room in the hostel.

Both friends claim that although they excelled in academics and are active in extra-curricular activities, the management had refused accommodation on the grounds of merits.

However, after appealing to the management at the beginning of the semester they were given a room.

But on Oct 10, the door to the room was sealed and there was an application form to live outside campus slotted in the door. There were no notices or official letters.

Four days later, both students were given a final notice to evacuate their rooms.

MP: Hasty Decision

According to Shafiqa, several cars from the university's students affairs department were circling their hostel when they were clearing their stuff while a group of ‘pro-establishment’ students jeered and teased them.

Contacted later, the university's hostel management said they were unaware of the matter and declined to comment further.

Meanwhile, Ampang PKR parliamentarian Zuraida Kamaruddin said the management had acted unwisely as the students were about to sit for their final examinations.

"The university acted too hasty in throwing out the students… they (management) should have taken into account of the fact that the students were due to sit for exams.

"The students should be given a chance and the management should be more tolerant… as the students were both active in academic and extra curricular activities,” she said in a statement.

"We want the hostel management to explain their action and give a chance for the students to deliberate the matter before they are thrown out," she added.