Higher Education Ministry says Universities and University Act to stay, but will look into more leeway for students to take part in politics
The government has decided to keep the Universities and University Act 1971 Higher Education Ministry said in a parliamentary reply today.
(MMO) – But it added that it is looking to improve the Act — better known by its Malay abbreviation AUKU — so that university students will have more freedom to participate in political activities.
“The ministry is of the view that the existing Act is still relevant in enforcing its functions, especially for matters related to university governance.
“The repeal of AUKU will affect the governance of public universities, especially during the transition of the Act.
“In fact, this repeal process requires further research since it involves several other Acts that are also in force, for example the Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996 [Act 555], the Education Act 1996 [Act 550], the Statutory Bodies (Discipline and Surcharge) Act 2000 [Act 605] and several other Acts supervised under other Ministries or agencies.
