EDUCATION minister Dr Maszlee Malik pledged to repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA).

The newly sworn-in minister was reported as saying by Bernama that UUCA will be abolished to bring the Malaysian education in line with international standards.

“The UCCA will be repealed to give academic freedom (to students) and enhance the level of the nation’s education to international standards,” Maszlee was quoted as saying.

Pakatan Harapan in its GE14 manifesto pledged to do away with laws which were hostile towards student participation in politics.

Before the UUCA was enacted in 1971, university students had their own financially independent unions, which could freely organise demonstrations on and off campus and invite politicians from both sides of the divide to speak. – May 22, 2018.