No restrictions on university students returning to vote - Khaled Nordin

BACHOK - Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin insists that there are no restrictions on university students returning to vote in the state elections on August 12 because no exams will be conducted that day.

He said that so far, only two universities have not finished their exams, namely Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

"The date of the exam has been set. Coincidentally, state polls fall on a Saturday and there will be no exams held on that day.

"After all, the elections only involve six states, not all," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Before that, he officiated the Inauguration Ceremony of the Entrepreneurship Incubator, Research Centre and Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) here.

Also present was UMK Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Razli Che Razak.

According to him, students from seven other states wanted the examination to continue and there was no need to raise the issue.

On July 5, the Election Commissions (EC) decided to set the poll voting date to happen simultaneously in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan on August 12.

Previously, the media reported that Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) were among the universities that were affected by the EC setting the voting date on 12 August for the six state polls.

UUM begins its examinations from the end of this month until the middle of August, while UMP will be conducting new recruitment for the university's diploma level studies when the PRN takes place.