KUALA LUMPUR Aug 30, 2026 – Seven sections relating to students, including aspects of freedom provided under the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU), will be given priority in the review and repeal of the Act, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Of AUKU’s 44 sections in total, seven relate to students, while the rest cover various aspects including the establishment, administration and governance of universities.
Zambry explained that AUKU needs to be viewed in a more comprehensive context because the Act is not only related to students, but is the parent Act that forms the basis for the establishment of a university.
“AUKU is already five decades old. Of course there are matters we need to look at… all aspects… the country has also progressed in various fields of education. So there are certainly things we need to revisit,” he said.
He added that matters relating to AUKU had already been discussed at Cabinet level, but the details would continue to be refined.
“It has already been discussed in Cabinet… only that the detailed matters will continue to be discussed at the Cabinet level,” he said.
Follow-up steps will be taken to ensure the repeal of AUKU can be carried out comprehensively. The review is intended to improve the existing legal framework so that the higher education ecosystem remains relevant and is not constrained by outdated regulations.
The Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) is also considering the drafting of a new law, such as a One Higher Education Act, to streamline the various statutes relating to higher education under a more comprehensive framework. An independent committee has also been established to collect and evaluate memorandums and views from academics and student representatives.
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the proposed repeal of AUKU was aimed, among other things, at giving students space to speak freely and to develop their creativity, inventiveness and critical thinking.
AUKU, which is more than five decades old, should be reviewed in light of the country’s development, including in education, in line with the Prime Minister’s view.
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