KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak has put his foot down, saying the unpopular Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) will be enforced against any University College Insaniah (KUIN) student who breaches it.

The PAS leader came under pressure yesterday from undergraduate activists who questioned his seeming opposition to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) bloc’s pledge to abolish the university law that students claim restricts academic freedom.

PAS is a partner in the federal opposition pact that has vowed to do away with the UUCA should it control Putrajaya.

Azizan (picture) told The Malaysian Insider that the issue was not a big deal and could be settled properly, following a furore among KUIN undergraduates after five students were suspended.

“Action was taken because the five undergraduates had committed an offence and the penalty was given based on the provisions of the existing law, so there are no issues that the Kedah state government is not in line with the leadership of PAS and Pakatan Rakyat that wish to abolish the UUCA,” the MB said.

“KUIN is the full responsibility of the Kedah government, the decision to suspend was made by the KUIN administration... and I do not wish to interfere so much in this matter,” he added.

The five students were charged under the UUCA for taking part in a demonstration, giving a speech in public using a loudhailer in the elocution corner and giving a press conference to oppose the opening of school in a building meant for Islamic studies.

Mohd Faiz Mohd Arshad was suspended for two semesters by the university’s disciplinary board in May last year while his four friends — Mohd Aiman Che Ab Razab, Zukhilatif Marzukhi, Mohd Azlan Mat Zain and Ahmad Remi Md Arof — were suspended a semester each and let off with a warning.

Their suspensions have since been lifted.

The five, however, have taken their case against the KUIN administration to court, which has been set to be heard on March 12.

Student activist Mohd Safwan Anang, who heads the Movement for Academic Freedom (Bebas), has voiced his support.

“We want an official answer and an apology from the Kedah state government on this matter, and, if necessary, compensation,” he said.

Azizan said the state government will not apologise because it had not “done anything wrong”, adding that the university will present its case in court.

“They filed it in court, not we... if we did, we’d take it back,” the MB said in response to the students’ legal challenge.

“We’ll see them in court and see who’s right.”