KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 ― Universiti Islam Antarabangsa's (UIA) administration has been told to explain why it stepped in to end a forum held on campus as an opposition lawmaker was about to address the crowd, a student group said today.

We Unite For Islam (WUFI) said it was disappointing that university officials went up and took away the microphone from PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli not long after he started his speech at the student-organised forum on the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"WUFI invites UIA's administration to step forward and hold a dialogue with UIA students to justify why the forum attended by YB Rafizi Ramli and Lokman Adam yesterday was cancelled," the group said in a statement.

"We also demand that the (university) administration present UIA's direction which purportedly wants to raise the standards of knowledge but of late has been constantly blocking intellectual discussions.

"What does UIA envision?" the group added.

Earlier today, Rafizi told UIA rector Datuk Seri Dr Zaleha Kamaruddin to resign and join Umno, claiming that the latter had shown her bias by barring him from the GST forum despite allowing Lokman, an Umno Youth executive council member, to speak earlier.

Rafizi claimed that university security personnel snatched his microphone just as he started his speech at the forum and demanded that he leave the campus.

WUFI said today it was disappointed with the unprofessional conduct of university officials in their handling of Rafizi at the GST forum, stressing that there are limitations to how far they can carry out their duties.

"We forgive every unprofessional act that was committed in front of the students yesterday," the group said.