Former education minister Maszlee Malik has leaked an internal memo from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) Department of Registrar.

Taking to X, the PKR central committee leader said he received the document from a fellow academic whose message read:

“Sir, hope you are well. A sad day for Malaysia's academia where Act 605, the real academic freedom killer, has been translated into action. Technically all policy researchers in UKM have their jobs declared forbidden.”

The memo, dated Oct 8, reminded academics not to make public statements, including on social media, unless authorised or given the mandate to do so.

It stated that the reminder to all public officials came from Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar through the 2024 Prime Minister’s Department management meeting.

“If slapped with an offence or if existing regulations are violated, disciplinary action can be taken,” cautioned the memo.

The memo added that all public servants, including those from statutory bodies, are forbidden from making public statements, whether in oral, written, or other forms, “which can be detrimental to policies, plans or decisions by any statutory body or the government on any issues”.

“And/or embarrass or tarnish any statutory body or the government, and/or make comments on any weaknesses in the policies, plans and decisions by statutory bodies or the government, and/or distribute any statements or comments made by oneself or others,” it added.

The memo pointed out that the restriction is clearly stated in Regulation 18(1) and 18(2), Statutory Bodies Act (Discipline and Surcharge) 2000 (Act 605).

Last month, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose administration is cracking down on polemics surrounding 3R (race, religion, and royalty), said that academics would not be prevented from speaking on these sensitive topics, but there must be a limit.

“A scholar from a university is not asked to be a ‘Pak Turut’ (yes man). (They) must be free to speak, and this is what we emphasise in this country,” added the former student leader who was a vocal proponent of the right to dissent.