Seven AUKU sections on student freedoms to get priority, says Zambry

Seven sections of the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) pertaining to student freedoms will be prioritized during the Act's repeal process, stated Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir. The seven AUKU sections out of its 44 total sections relate to students, while the remaining sections cover aspects such as university establishment, administration, and governance.

Zambry emphasized that AUKU must be considered more broadly, as it is not exclusively a student-focused Act but serves as the parent legislation governing university creation. He added that discussions on AUKU matters have taken place at the Cabinet level, and further refinement of details is expected. AUKU is the primary Act for university establishment, with the exception of Universiti Malaya, which operates under an older 1961 Act.

All other universities rely on AUKU for their existence, Zambry informed reporters following the opening of the 2026 Higher Education Institutions Sports (SUKIPT) at Universiti Malaya's Arena. The minister suggested that AUKU should be reviewed to align with the country's development, particularly in education, in line with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's view that legal provisions related to students should be reviewed.

Zambry assured that follow-up measures would be implemented to ensure a comprehensive repeal process. Anwar had previously mentioned that repealing AUKU aimed to provide students with more freedom to express themselves and foster their innovative thinking, creativity, and critical analysis skills.