Fahmi: New legislation to replace UUCA will exclude provisions affecting student freedom
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — The new legislation that will replace the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) 1971 will not restrict the freedom of students or undergraduates.
Government spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil assured that the new legislative Bill will instead focus on the administration and management aspects of universities as well as university colleges.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had told the Cabinet that matters involving students and undergraduates will be excluded following the government’s intention to abolish UUCA 1971 as announced last weekend.
“With that, the Higher Education Ministry has announced that the aspects that need to be managed involve the administration of universities and university colleges as higher education institutions,” he said in the weekly media post-Cabinet briefing that was broadcast live today.
Fahmi, who is also the communications minister, however, said laws involving the police and other authorities still apply.
He explained that existing laws, including those involving authorities such as the police, will still apply to students and undergraduates.
Last Saturday, it was reported that Anwar, when delivering his presidential policy speech at the 2026 PKR national congress in Melaka, announced that the government would abolish UUCA 1971.
Anwar, who was speaking as the PKR president, said that although several amendments had been made before, there were still things that did not satisfy the undergraduates.
The UUCA 1971 was introduced to govern the establishment, governance and administration of public universities and university colleges in Malaysia.
However, it was later seen to be restrictive to student freedom and activism.
