All on-campus concerts must follow govt guidelines, Dewan Rakyat told

KUALA LUMPUR: On-campus concerts in higher educational institutions (HEIs) must adhere to the guidelines stipulated by the government, says Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Yusof Apdal.

He also said HEIs, whether public or private, must consider the ministry's guidelines based on the Federal Constitution as well as the relevant laws and local council by-laws before giving out any approvals.

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“We don’t want these institutions to freely give out approvals as we have legislation to abide by," he told Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (PN-Parit Buntar) in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Nov 16).

Mohd Misbahul had asked the ministry to state the guidelines for public and private HEIs regarding on-campus concerts involving either domestic or foreign acts.

Yusof told the Dewan Rakyat that student representative bodies and student unions were involved in drafting the guidelines that should also be considered "the law" while on campus.

ALSO READ: Students must be involved in drafting campus concert guidelines, says ministry

“This (involvement) was to ensure that the voice and needs of the students are taken into account when drafting the guidelines,” he added.

To a separate question, Yusof said the government did not have any issue with allowing foreign artists to perform on campuses, as long as they follow the regulations.

"We don't (prohibit a) university from inviting foreign artists as long as they follow our rules," he told Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan).

ALSO READ: Concert guidelines in the making

On June 24, a public university in Terengganu was reportedly fined RM25,000 for organising a concert without the necessary permission.

Sinar Daily reported that the Kuala Terengganu City Council issued the compound notice in accordance with its Entertainment and Entertainment Enactment 2002 by-laws.

A 37-second video of a concert purportedly taking place in the hall of a Terengganu university went viral on social media in June.