{
  "id": 1455158,
  "title": "Malaysia to scrap 55-year-old university law, but will campus reform follow?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/malaysia-to-scrap-55-year-old-university-law-but-will-campus-reform",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T09:12:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3364293/malaysia-scrap-55-year-old-university-law-will-campus-reform-follow"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia plans to end the university law, AUKU, that has long fueled debates over student rights, but activists question whether broader campus reforms will follow. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to repeal the 55-year-old law, AUKU, which has governed university affairs since 1971. The law, previously retained by the government, has been criticized for its disciplinary powers that have been used to curtail protests, political organizing, and campus dissent. Anwar, who was a student activist in the 1970s, announced his administration's decision to abolish AUKU, marking a significant shift from the previous administration's stance. Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir had previously stated that the law remains the legal basis for setting up public universities, warning that its absence would result in no public universities. Despite recent amendments, the law has continued to provoke demands for its repeal. Student groups have staged protests, marches, and nationwide campaigns, urging for AUKU's abolition and the involvement of students and academics in the drafting of a new law that would ensure academic freedom and student autonomy. Khoo Ying Hooi, a professor of international relations and human rights, cautioned against viewing AUKU's repeal as the complete dismantling of the university system. She emphasized that restrictions also exist within university disciplinary rules and administrative practices, as well as an institutional culture that normalizes caution and self-censorship. Zambry has pledged to review the entire architecture of AUKU, rather than just removing student activism-related provisions. The new law will address university governance, academic affairs, institutional autonomy, and student rights and responsibilities, with a consultative and inclusive drafting process involving various stakeholders.",
  "summary": "Malaysia may finally scrap the university law that generations of students have blamed for stifling campus dissent, but activists and academics say the harder fight will be over what comes next. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has promised to abolish the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, better known by its Malay acronym AUKU, a law that has long sat at the centre of arguments over how…",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysia plans to repeal 55-year-old university law AUKU.",
    "Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim vows to abolish AUKU.",
    "Student groups demand AUKU's repeal for academic freedom."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}