KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA February 23, 2026 – The youth wing of the Democratic Action Party (DAPSY) takes note of the statement by Deputy Minister of Higher Education Adam Adli Abdul Halim that the issue of abolishing or retaining the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU) must be carefully planned and followed by substantive reforms, but stresses that the Unity Government — particularly Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership — must demonstrate a firmer and clearer position on the abolition of AUKU.
In a statement today, DAPSY National University Affairs Bureau Director Koh Ling Xian said DAPSY appreciates the Ministry of Higher Education’s readiness to chart the direction of higher education reform through a more structured and meticulous approach.
“However, DAPSY wishes to emphasise that on the AUKU issue, the Unity Government, especially Pakatan Harapan leadership, must show a stronger and clearer stance. This is because the abolition of AUKU is not merely a policy proposal; it is a consensus and commitment previously expressed by PH before the general election, and one of the core demands long fought for by PH youth wings,” he said.
Koh reminded that the AUKU issue is not new. He noted that YlAdam Adli himself once emerged as a student activist who championed the call to abolish AUKU, while many PH leaders had also directly or indirectly faced restrictions and pressure due to the Act.
Accordingly, DAPSY urges PH leadership, especially the younger generation of leaders, to continue strengthening their resolve to abolish AUKU with concrete action and a convincing timeline.
He said the reform effort has a solid foundation since 2018, when the then PH Government established the AUKU Abolition Committee, which involved various stakeholders including government officials, university management, academics and student representatives.
“The committee produced a report and proposed framework as the basis for abolishing AUKU and for drafting new legislation. Consensus, studies and discussions have long taken place, including a proposed framework for a new Act that can serve as reference,” he added.
Koh stressed that abolishing AUKU does not mean allowing higher education institutions to operate without laws or regulation; instead, it requires replacement with a new, more progressive Higher Education Act to replace AUKU, the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 and related legislation.
He agrees that higher education reform must encompass issues such as university governance models, funding structures and academic autonomy, but pointed out that these matters have already been discussed and raised in previous discourses and proposals, including the reform framework outlined by the earlier committee.
“Therefore, DAPSY asserts that higher education reform and the abolition of AUKU should not be viewed as mutually exclusive options, but must be implemented simultaneously. The abolition of AUKU should be the starting point of reform,” he said.
DAPSY calls on the Ministry of Higher Education to reactivate the AUKU Abolition Committee, resume work based on the existing report and recommendations, and expedite the process of drafting the new legislation.
“The Unity Government must be determined to fulfil its reform promises in order to restore confidence among students and civil society, and to ensure that Malaysian higher education moves towards greater freedom, openness and competitiveness,” Koh added.
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