Repeal AUKU completely; Achieve true reforms in the university system



During the Youth Empowerment Fair 2023 this week, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the Sections of the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) 1971 limiting freedom will be repealed. Instead of amending just the controversial Sections, the government should abolish the Act completely in favour of a new Higher Education Act.

AUKU was legislated during the 1970s era, a time that political awareness of varsity students was very high, and criticisms towards the authority was commonplace; even Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim used to actively participate in these movements. Thus, AUKU was used to effectively muffle these movements by appointing vice-chancellors to extend control over the operations of universities.  

Even though many amendments to AUKU have been made in the past, it continues to be a bane to freedom and rights in tertiary institutions. The tool that was created in the 1970s to smother the student movement, is not compatible with the academic freedom and autonomy that we advocate for today. If AUKU is not completely repealed, varsity students will continue to live in fear of interference by the authorities.

In 2018, the government formed a special technical committee to study the abolishment of of AUKU. This shows that the government is aware that mere amendments to AUKU are insufficient to bring real reforms, nor return autonomy to the students and lecturers.

Repealing the Act is the only way to restore autonomy and achieve comprehensive reforms. Hence, I suggest the government to draft a new Higher Education Act instead to encompass all higher education institutions.

Laws are made to protect and better the people, not to silence and harm. I urge the government to focus on repealing AUKU itself; gather the opinions of academics, student activists, and the general student body to draft a new Higher Education Act.

Rebuilding the economy post-pandemic is no doubt the unity government’s main focus. However,  institutional reforms should also be carried out alongside to ensure the nation continues to progress. We need to let our young leaders speak their mind, and allow them to use their critical thinking skills to solve real world problems, instead of pressuring them into social apathy.

-MCA online-