The newly anointed Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamed has been called on to ensure that the selection of vice-chancellors are done transparently.

Universiti Malaya Academic Staff Association (Pkaum) said that Mustapa must look into the formation on independent search committees to select VCs for public universities.

"It is only by ensuring that our vice-chancellors are selected based on merit and high academic standing can our universities begin this process of re-building themselves," said Pkaum secretary Dr Rosli Omar in a statement.

Rosli also urged Mustapa to make public the Wan Zahid Committee report. The committee was established by the government to provide recommendations for the reforms local institutions of higher learning.

The committee, led by former Education director-general Dr Wan Zahid Noordin, studied the direction, needs and challenges of local institution of higher learning between January to June last year.

Academics and educationist who provided feedback to the committee stressed that there was an urgent need for a revamp of higher education.

Repeal UUCA

While hoping that the review of the University and University Colleges Act 1971 be continued, Pkaum also encouraged the minister to repeal the Act.

"Some parts of this Act is incompatible with international conventions on academic freedom and its repeal would enable our universities to function as teaching and research institutions that help mould critically-minded, thinking individuals and publish research independently," added Rosli.

Meanwhile, former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer Prof P Ramasamy believes that Mustapa's non-academic background would not limit his ability to dispense his new duties.

"While I don't think that we need a minister to have an academic background, what we really need is a good sense of fairplay to ensure that institutions of higher learning practice openness and that the students are given their due freedom," said Ramasamy when contacted.

Leader of students group Malaysian Students Solidarity Ahmad Rifauddin Abd Wahab on the other hand welcomed the replacement of former higher education minister Dr Shafie Salleh.

He said that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's decision reflects the sensitivities of the government towards their appeals, especially in the area of campus democracy.

"(By dropping Shafie) it is a victory for the university students, but it not an absolute victory. We are putting a lot of hopes in the new minister, that he would be prudent and respectful of the rights of students," he said when contacted.