PETALING JAYA: The education ministry today gave its assurance that the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) will be abolished.
Its minister, Maszlee Malik, in rebutting claims by academicians that the Act is set to stay, said that efforts to abolish the Act were already under way and these were being done in stages.
“This includes amending Sections 15 and 16 of the Act first.
“The Cabinet, on Nov 9, had also approved amendments to the Act before it is eventually abolished,” he said in a statement today.
Maszlee was responding to claims made by academic Prof Tajuddin Rasdi that the ministry had rejected abolishng the Act and is only amending several parts.
Tajuddin, in his column in FMT, said the amendments were only a continuation of the old law in the New Malaysia, even though Maszlee himself was against the Act.
“Maszlee is of the view that this Act is cruel in terms of its threat and administrative action.
“I’ve also felt this threat for the past 15 years,” Tajuddin had said.
However, Maszlee explained that the amendments were necessary as they were in line with the political transformation brought by the government in strengthening the democratic institution.
“This is especially so in the case of giving university students more room to speak out and get involved in political activities in the campus, aside from producing graduates who are balanced and able to voice their opinions on current issues,” he said.
Maszlee said the controversial law will be abolished, just like Pakatan Harapan had promised in its election manifesto, and this is expected to be completed by 2020.
“I wish to stress here that the spirit of bringing renewal to the education sector in Malaysia remains strong within my soul and efforts are being carried out towards this end,” he added. -FMT
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