IPT urged to act against students at Parliament House demo

Higher learning institutions (IPT) whose students had taken part in the demonstration #OccupyParliament at the parliament building on Tuesday have been urged to act against the culprits.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the institutions were empowered to do so.

"The institutions have the right to investigate and decide on the form of action on their students," he told reporters at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Alumni Dinner here Saturday.

On Tuesday, 17 university students were detained by police for staging a protest and camping outside the parliament building.

Idris also advised university students to refrain from involvement in politically-motivated activities and concentrate instead on passing their examinations.

Meanwhile, the minister said government-sponsored students abroad would not be too badly affected by the depreciation of the Malaysian ringgit.

He said the students would receive their scholarship in the value of the currency of the country where they are studying.

"For instance, if the student is studying in the UK, then the scholarship would be disbursed in pounds, and US dollars if in America.

"Unfortunately, irresponsible quarters had chosen to manipulate the issue," he said.