KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here yesterday allowed the application for judicial review by 55 institutions of higher learning to challenge the decision of the Private Institutions of Higher Learning (PIHL) chief registrar regarding international students intake.
Lawyer David Methew, who represented all the applicants, told reporters that Judge Datuk Seri Zakaria Sam made the decision in chambers following the absence of an objection from the Attorney-General’s Office.
On April 30, Malaysian Association of Colleges and Universities, National Association Of Private Educational Institutions, Berjaya University College Of Hospitality and 52 others filed for the judicial review naming the PIHL chief registrar and Higher Education Minister as respondents.
They applied for an order to quash a circular dated January 23 2012 which set additional conditions for the registration of international students.
In their affidavit of support, the applicants claimed that all the private institutions were required to use the Student Applications and Registration System (STARS) operated by Educational Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).
Based on the circular, they said the private institutions would incur a processing fee of RM1,000, RM250 medical examination fee and medical insurance policy from EGMS panel of insurers.
The applicants claimed that the circular was ultra vires as it charged an illegal levy in the form of the RM1,000 processing fee and created a monopoly by EMGS. — Bernama