SHAH ALAM, 14 Apr: The statement by the Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who asked students to cook is impossible as university laws do not allow cooking on campus.
Many students criticised Ahmad’s statement because cooking equipment is also not allowed on campus.
Student Faizun Abdullah, 24, said that universities prohibit students from having any electrical equipment to prevent fires.
“There are students who bring cooking utensils on campus but were confiscated for fear of overusing electricity. The government should think about ways to make it easier for students like prohibiting traders from imposing taxes.
“Some traders, despite not being registered for the goods and services tax (GST), still increased food prices to a point that it is burdening students,” she said.
Ismi Fahmi Abdul Rahman, 22, said that Ahmad’s statement shows that ministers do not think about the welfare of the people because they give answers that do not solve any problem.
“Some male students may not know how to cook. We are only able to buy food from outside and goods on campus have increased in price.
“The least we can eat are instant noodles, but now, it is also subject to the GST. There is no protection for us as students,” he said.
Qurratu Anini, 23, said that universities prohibit students from cooking on campus because it is risky, in addition to thinking about safety.
“The GST is very burdensome not because we cannot cook on campus. The cost of living is ever increasing, making it difficult for us.
“Not all students come from wealthy families. So, the GST is unfair to be imposed on us and we hope that the government will review this matter,” she said.
NS
