Senate passes universities (amendment) bill
KUALA LUMPUR: The Senate yesterday passed the Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Bill 2018 which aims to abolish provisions preventing university students from participating in political activities on campus.
Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching when winding up the debate on the bill earlier said the ministry had set up a working committee to provide input and a new content draft to replace the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) 1971 with a new act by 2020.
“The committee will also coordinate periodic reports and present them to the Technical Committee of AUKU Implementation, Repeal and Amendment, which will coordinate, review and study the relevant provisions contained in the AUKU as a whole and submit a report to the main committee.
“Members of the committee comprise academic and nonacademic staff, legal advisers, student representatives and representatives of stakeholders of public and private universities of the country,” she said.
On Dec 10, the Dewan Rakyat created history when it unanimously approved the amendment to the AUKU 1971 which allowed students to be involved in politics on campus.
The amendment involved abolishing Section 15 (2)(c) of the AUKU which prevented students from pursuing political activities on campus, giving them more space and freedom to voice out and be active in politics.
Meanwhile, the Senate also passed the Education Institutions (Discipline) (Amendment ) Bill 2018 and the Private Higher Education Institutions (Amendment) Bill 2018.