COMMENT | We, the members of G25, welcome Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement that the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA) will be abolished and that any replacement law will not restrict the rights and freedoms of university students. This is a long-awaited development.

In 2011, Hishamudin Yunus, in his judgment as a Court of Appeal judge in the case of Muhammad Hilman bin Idham & Ors v Kerajaan Malaysia & Ors, rightly said the following:

“Most university students are of the age of majority. They can enter into contracts. They can sue and be sued. They can marry, become parents and undertake parental responsibilities. They can vote in general elections if they are 21 years old. They can become directors of a company. They can be office bearers of societies.

“Yet, and herein lies the irony, they are told that legally they cannot say anything that can be construed as supporting or opposing a political party. In my opinion, such a provision as s 15(5)(a) of the UUCA impedes the healthy development of the critical mind and original thoughts of students, objectives that seats of higher learning should strive to achieve.

“Universities should be the...