Higher Education Minister defends AUKU as dynamic law amid student calls for repeal

MALAYSIA’S Higher Education Minister has defended the continued relevance of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU), stressing that the law has evolved over time to reflect changing circumstances and to expand student freedoms, even as a group of undergraduates renewed calls for its repeal.

Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the government has consistently amended AUKU to ensure it remains aligned with contemporary needs, most recently in June 2024.

He described the current scope of student liberties as a direct outcome of those revisions.

“What we see today, the freedom enjoyed by students is actually a manifestation of AUKU, which has been amended many times, with the latest in June 2024 to ensure that student freedom is provided,” he said after officiating at the Malaysian Technical University Network Academia-Industry Research Conference 2026.

“That freedom includes, for example, their ability to establish associations, manage their financial resources and various other matters,” he added.

His remarks came in response to a recent gathering of nearly 100 students from the Mansuh AUKU Secretariat outside Parliament, where participants urged the government to abolish the Act.

During the assembly, the group also accused Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim of reneging on a pledge to repeal AUKU, an issue that had featured prominently in Pakatan Harapan Youth’s campaign during the 15th General Election in 2022.

Zambry maintained that AUKU remains a foundational statute underpinning the establishment and governance of higher education institutions in Malaysia.

“AUKU is the single important Act that forms the core and legal basis for the establishment of higher education institutions in this country,” he said.

He emphasised that while the Act was first introduced in 1971 and amended in 1974 and several times thereafter, it must continue to evolve rather than remain static.

“AUKU was established in 1971, then changed in 1974, and several other series of amendments have been made. We see that over time it (AUKU) must be dynamic; it cannot remain something static,” he said.

The minister reiterated that the Higher Education Ministry remains open to receiving views from stakeholders, including students, and suggested that university managements hold discussions to identify any weaknesses in the existing legislation as part of ongoing improvement efforts. - February 11, 2026