KUALA LUMPUR: Students who voice out criticism in a constructive manner should not be subjected to any disciplinary action, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Instead, he said such constructive criticism should be acknowledged and taken into consideration.
"I ask that the Higher Education Ministry as well as other ministries, government bodies and departments listen to criticism and students' voices.
"Do not take disciplinary action against them because they should not be shackled...on the contrary, they should be given guidance," he said.
However, Zahid said students should be wary of the way they criticise the government.
"Criticisms should be constructive and not destructive. One can criticise and have opposing opinions but it must be intellectual," he said during the 2016 Parliamentary Conference of Students dinner at the Putra World Trade Centre here earlier tonight.
Zahid also announced an allocation of RM250,000 for the Malaysian Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak).
Also present at the dinner were Mubarak president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching.