Stop using UiTM as political campaign subject - Alumni

The UiTM Malaysia Alumni Association stated Tuesday that the university should not be made a political campaign subject like what is happening in the run-up to the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat by-election.

Its general secretary, Shukri Ishak said in a democratic country, each individual had the right to choose his or her political preference.

"But please don't use UiTM as your political campaign subject. Keep UiTM out. Each individual has the right to make a statement but let it be accurate and truthful.

"If you say things just for your political campaign but without facts and proof, it does not show wisdom and intelligence," he said in a statement.

DAP candidate in the Teluk Intan by-election, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, herself a UiTM law graduate, had reportedly claimed that UiTM mainly took in students from families of well-to-do UMNO leaders compared to those from poor families and with no links to UMNO.

Shukri said: "She (Dyana Sofya) is only one of 600,000 UiTM alumni, while there are many other alumni who are leaders of political parties other than UMNO."

He noted that UiTM had a programme called the JPA (PSD)/MARA/Petronas Pre-Overseas Programme, which also helped Chinese and Indian students sponsored by the Public Service Department (PSD) in undergoing training for one or two years before furthering their studies abroad.

He said the programme, introduced in the 1980s, also covered the German A-Level which had seen students continuing their studies at universities in Germany.

"Not many people know that UiTM assists non-Bumiputera students gain exposure from the training at UiTM before going overseas," he said of the programme conducted at the International Education Centre (Intec), which is part of UiTM.

Shukri said Intec, which offered various programmes, was open to all Malaysians and the lecturers were from UiTM itself.

"I believe UiTM (through Intec) has trained more non-Bumiputera students compared to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) and Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman (KTAR). Ask UTAR and KTAR how many Malay students have come out of there," he said.

The Teluk Intan by-election will see a straight contest between Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Mah Siew Keong and Dyana Sofya.

Early voting is on May 27 and polling on May 31.