Student unions: Has govt given up on university autonomy?
A group of 27 bipartisan student unions and associations has expressed their disappointment with the Perikatan Nasional government's decision to scrap plans to abolish the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
In a joint statement, they said they questioned whether this meant the Higher Education Ministry did not believe in autonomy for universities...
A group of 27 bipartisan student unions and associations has expressed their disappointment with the Perikatan Nasional government's decision to scrap plans to abolish the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
In a joint statement, they said they questioned whether this meant the Higher Education Ministry did not believe in autonomy for universities.
"Does the Higher Education Ministry not believe in the spirit of autonomy for universities and students, and in academic freedom which should be celebrated to encourage the involvement of students in policymaking at the university and ministry level?" they said.
They also asked if the ministry was indicating that autonomous student unions, which had been set up after the UUCA was amended in 2018, were no longer relevant and that efforts would not continue to make students more independent.
The previous Pakatan Harapan government had amended the UUCA to allow students to take part in political party activities within the grounds of their universities and colleges.
This was a first step towards repealing the Act altogether and replacing it with a new more comprehensive law in 2020.
However, the PN government has said it would not proceed with these plans.
The student unions said besides the UUCA, there were other important issues that the Higher Education Ministry needed to address especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as cost of living, online learning, minimum wages, and making students employable, among others.
They hoped that minister Noraini Ahmad (photo, above) would meet students and other stakeholders at the negotiating table to come up with policies together.
The statement was signed by the following student unions and associations.
1. Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (KMUM)
2. Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (KMUKM)
3. Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM)
4. Mahasiswa Keadilan Malaysia (MKM)
5. Mahasiswa DAP
6. Mahasiswa AMANAH Nasional
7. Kelab Mahasiswa MCA
8. Mahasiswa Negara
9. Young Democrats Malaysia
10. YouthWave Malaysia
11. Demuda Malaysia (Pertubuhan Demokrat Sosial)
12. Nadi Siswa Malaysia
13. SISMA Sabah
14. PKPIM Kedah
15. Persatuan Pelajar Islam Selangor Darul Ehsan (PEPIAS)
16. Kesatuan Pelajar Islam Johor (KPIJ)
17. Ikatan Pelajar Islam Pahang
18. Kesatuan Generasi Muda Selangor (KGMS)
19. Kesatuan Pelajar Islam Terengganu (KEPITAR)
20. Persatuan Pelajar Islam Melaka (PEPIM)
21. Persatuan Pelajar Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (PPIWP)
22. Kesatuan Pelajar-pelajar Islam Perak (KPIP)
23. Persatuan Mahasiswa Islam Perlis (PERMIP)
24. Persatuan Penggerak Mahasiswa UNISEL
25. Grup Sukarelawan Darul Ehsan (DE VOLUNTEER) UNISEL
26. Mahasiswa Harapan UUM
27. Kesatuan Pelajar Islam Kelantan
