PKR Youth says the number of students prostituting themselves to help deal with educational expenses may be surprising.
PETALING JAYA: Some students in dire straits have resorted to “selling” themselves in order to support their expenses while studying in institutions of higher education, PKR Youth has claimed.
Urging the government to stop making light of the plight faced by some university students, its student bureau chief Fahmi Zainol said many cash-strapped students had been forced into prostitution just to make ends meet, with many staying trapped in the industry for a long time.
In a statement issued today, Fahmi said he got to know of such practices during his time as a University Malaya (UM) student leader.
“The number may seem small if we look at only one university, but if we take into account all the other higher education institutions, the number may surprise us.
“There is a drastic need for the Federal Government to solve this as soon as possible,” he said, adding university authorities and non-governmental organisations must cooperate fully with each other to make a difference in these students’ lives.
The plight of “starving” students created a stir following media reports that many public university students could only afford to spend between RM1.50 and RM5 a day on food. Reports also claimed that this was prevalent among some 26,000 students in such institutions, who did not have enough money to even grab a simple meal.
The Higher Education Ministry has vowed to look into the matter.