Students want say in law replacing AUKU
KUALA LUMPUR: Student leaders have welcomed the government's decision to repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU), but want students to have a meaningful say in drafting the legislation that replaces it.
Universiti Malaya's Syam Eddy Ahmad welcomed the repeal of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU) as a victory for the student movement, emphasizing that the outdated law limited student autonomy and academic freedom. He stressed the importance of a student-friendly replacement act, with student representatives, academics, and universities involved in its drafting.
Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia's Freddie anak Andrew Sanggai, while agreeing that AUKU should not be discarded entirely, argued that certain provisions remained relevant. He advocated for consultations involving student representatives, academics, and administrators in creating the new law. Universiti Sains Malaysia's Muhammad Nuraiman Mohd Yusrino highlighted the debate over AUKU as a broader issue of university autonomy and trust in students' ability to shape their future.
He suggested that repealing AUKU would pave the way for a modern framework balancing institutional autonomy, accountability, and the public interest.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
