THE new Pakatan Harapan government will not misuse higher education institutions as platforms for its own political interests, said Education Minister Maszlee Malik.

He said universities should be an open intellectual space where forums and debates can be held.

“I will make sure I won’t abuse the universities for my political interest and for that of the ruling party.

“We want all universities to enjoy autonomy and to cultivate academic freedom and the culture of freedom,” he said during the announcement of the Quacquarelli Symonds World University rankings for 2019 at the Education Ministry.

He said many sanctions were made by the previous government, and assured that PH would not misuse its power against the universities.

Maszlee also said many Ivy League universities practised the culture of making higher education institutions open spaces for debates and forums, citing Oxford University and Cambridge University in England.

Yesterday, Maszlee said public universities nationwide were free to organise debates and forums, as practiced by global universities.

He said all administrators of institutions of higher learning were required to heed the directive, effective immediately.

“I urge vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors of student affairs to comply with this directive, and ensure that there are no restrictions on such programmes. The ministry will monitor universities’ compliance,”  he said at a ministry breaking-of-fast event at SMK Presint 11 (1) in Putrajaya yesterday.

Maszlee said he did not want the students to view universities as restrictive institutions.