By Murray Hunter
THIS is the second part of my interview with YB Dr Haim Hilman Abdullah, a former Universiti Utara Malaysia vice-chancellor with experience in poverty alleviation and community development, in a direct interview with the writer.
He is a Kedah State Executive Council member and Jitra ADUN and part of the young professional grouping within PAS. This is how Dr Haim sees education.
PARTI Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) believes education is a public trust, and is not just seen as a product for sale by educators. Public universities belong to the people. They were built with taxpayers’ money so that every Malaysian child, rich or poor, should have a real chance to succeed based on ability and hard work.
Consequently, PAS wants three simple things in the field of education;
Places given by real merit, not money.
Equal access so family income does not decide who gets in.
Universities that put the nation’s needs and social mobility first, instead of chasing profits.
The Real Problems Today
Today, many public universities face great financial strains.
Government funding is no longer enough or reliable due to changes at the policy level and administration priorities.
Years ago, the government decreed that universities find a large proportion of their own income.
As a consequence, a number of universities set up businesses under holding companies and subsidiaries to earn revenue from land, hospitals, courses, and research.
The results of this approach have most often been disappointing.
One clear example is UiTM Holdings. It reported about RM157 million in losses over several years, while earlier profits were much smaller.
Other university companies have also struggled.
When these businesses lose money, the university looks elsewhere for cash.
The easiest place has been the student, through imposing higher fees or “open channel” admissions that favour those who can pay.
The research areas of universities face similar issues.
Malaysia spends billions on university research. Professors publish papers and file patents.
But government figures show that out of nearly 450 spin-off companies created by public universities, only about 5% succeed in turning ideas into real products or businesses.
Most knowledge stays locked in labs or journals instead of creating jobs and income for the country.
These three problems - uncertain funding, weak university businesses, and low research commercialisation are pushing universities to treat education more like a commercial product.
One of the effects of this has been to slowly close doors for a university to poor families. For a wealthy family, missing a public university place may mean going private. However, for a B40 or M40 family, it can mean losing the opportunity of a university education.
What PAS Wants to Do
PAS has clear, practical steps:
Put merit first in the admission process
High-demand and important courses in public universities must go back to transparent, merit-based selection.
If any paid or open channels remain, universities must publish yearly details: how many places, the entry scores, fees, and the background of students who got in.
No qualified Malaysian should lose a place simply because another family has more money.
Give universities stable public funding
The government must provide predictable, multi-year funding that matches the public mission of these universities.
Funding should support quality teaching, help students from poorer and rural families, and reward real results. Universities cannot be told to act like businesses while still being expected to serve the public good.
Fix university business companies
Every university holding company and subsidiary must be checked properly. Those that keep losing money should be restructured, professionalised, or closed. They must return real profits to support teaching, research, and scholarships, not becoming another burden on university finances.
Board members should include people with real business experience, not just university officers.
Turn research into real national value
Stop measuring success mainly by the number of papers or patents produced. Start measuring how many ideas become licensed products, successful companies, jobs, and exports. Universities need more professional teams, better funding for turning research into commercial products, and stronger rewards for academics who succeed in commercialisation.
The current 5% success rate is far too low and must improve significantly.
Change the mindset
University leaders should ask “How much value can we create for the country?” instead of “How much more can students pay?”
Why This Matters to Ordinary Malaysians
Public universities must exist so that a bright child from a kampung or a modest family can rise through pure ability (meritocracy).
When places start going to those who can pay more, that promise is broken.
A student should never have to wonder: “Was I less qualified, or was my family simply poorer?”
PAS says the solution is not more commercial tricks.
It is proper funding, proper accountability for university businesses, research that actually helps the economy, and a firm rule that merit decides opportunity.
The emphasis must be on funding the universities properly.
Make their commercial arms deliver results or close them. Turn research into jobs and income.
Protect the principle that public higher education expands opportunity for all Malaysians — not just those who can afford it.
Merit must decide who gets the chance. Poverty must never decide a child’s future. That is the PAS vision for education. – September 4, 2026
