Govt to repeal Auku, says Anwar

 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says although the Act has been amended several times, students are still not satisfied with some provisions.

In April, student group Sekretariat Mansuh Auku launched a nationwide campaign calling for the Act’s repeal, targeting private and public universities.

HANG TUAH JAYA:

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced today that the government will repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (Auku).

Anwar, who is also PKR president, said although several amendments had been made to the Act previously, students are still not satisfied with some provisions.

“Students feel they should be given more freedom. We have given them greater freedom through amendments to the Auku, but some are still dissatisfied and have submitted a memorandum.

“So today, I want to announce that we will abolish the Act,” he said in his keynote speech at the 2026 PKR Congress at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh.

Auku was last amended in 2025 to grant student associations greater autonomy over fundraising and other activities. The higher education ministry previously said it had no plans to abolish the law entirely.

The ministry’s stance prompted 40 students representing more than 30 student groups to march to Parliament on Feb 9 to demand its full repeal.

DAP’s youth wing meanwhile called for the ministry to revive the 2019 committee tasked with abolishing Auku, saying that simply reviewing the Act was not enough.

In April, student group Sekretariat Mansuh Auku launched a nationwide campaign calling for the Act’s repeal, targeting private and public universities, including Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. - FMT