By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix: Izwan Azman

BANGI, Jan 11, 2016 – The impression given by newspaper reports about the students of The National University of Malaysia (UKM), who were allegedly forced to ‘tighten their belts’ due to lack of money, is inaccurate and taken out of context, said Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student and Alumni Affairs), Prof Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal.

Prof Datuk Noor Aziah said based on investigations of the Student Affairs department, both students received the same amount of aid as other students but they experienced financial difficulties because they mismanaged their money.

She disputed the reports and questioned the validity of the survey done that  claimed that some university students did not get enough food or went hungry  at the campus, because the reality was very different from the claims.

“I have met the two students to ensure their welfare was looked after. They admitted to speaking to reporters to discredit UKM.

 “The students were not as deprived as reported and they regretted making the statements that they did to reporters. Students at UKM in financial difficulties always get aid from the various welfare bodies in campus and government agencies,” she told a press conference here today.

According to Prof Datuk Noor Aziah, when she asked one of the students, Nur, about her statement of her ‘gut being injured’ due to hunger as reported in the press, the student from Sandakan said she meant her family history back home, not her experience now in UKM.

She said the two first year students who complained of hunger to reporters actually received enough money to support themselves from the National Higher Education Fund Scheme (PTPTN) or other bodies, but they sent a substantial amount of the money  to their parents to help their families.

“For the record, UKM has long established a Student Welfare Unit under the Student Services Centre with various financial aid granted for the welfare of all students at the university.

She said there were some students experiencing financial difficulties admitted to messing up their finances, apart from supporting their families back home.

“We want to stress that the students who are experiencing financial difficulties will be assisted by UKM, and as for their families, they should get assistance from the Zakat Board in their respective states.

“In fact, through the Student Welfare Unit, which provides financial assistance in the event of the death of a student, the money will be paid to beneficiaries, usually parents. In the event of the death of the parents, the student will receive some money. Students also receive benefits for health care bills, loss of money, computers and motorcycles as well as hardship.

“Investigation By UKM Student Affairs showed both students are recipients of  PTPTN loans. What’s more the Sandakan student even received assistance of RM100 from the Sandakan Welfare Unit at the beginning of October 2015 and RM350 from the residential college where she boards.

“Meanwhile, the other student, from Negeri Sembilan has not even made any complaint to the Welfare Unit but admitted that his financial problems were largely his own doing,” she stressed.

In addition to casting doubts about the hunger allegations, Prof Datuk Noor Aziah also expressed skepticisms about the implementation of assistance by a soup kitchen called Food For Mahasiswa set up by a UKM alumni in cooperation with a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

She said the original intention was  to provide free meals to students who are really poor.

“But now we can see from the pictures in the newspapers showing many students smiling while lining up for free food. They did not seem to be in distress.

“I know as a former College head and now Deputy Vice-Chancellor that students who really are needy are not proud of waiting for free food. They would hide their faces when photographers arrive to take their pictures.

“Who doesn’t want free food if offered? Just about anyone who is patient enough to wait in a queue does get free food even if they do not deserve it at,” she added.

She ordered an investigation into the Food For Mahasiswa programme because the unidentified NGO has aroused suspicion among the university management for using the UKM alumni to get financial aid.

Nevertheless Food For Mahasiswa still receives RM10,000 per month from the UKM Zakat Centre and a few restaurants around Bandar Baru Bangi, she revealed.