Govt ready to give students space to express views, including criticising the PM – Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - The government is prepared to give university students the widest possible space to voice their views and criticisms freely, including criticising the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this was acceptable as long as it did not overstep legal boundaries or involve elements of violence.

To that end, he said the bill to amend the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU), to abolish rules that restrict students' freedom of expression, will be tabled in Parliament within one to two weeks.

He said the matter had been conveyed to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir so that the repeal of the restrictions could be expedited.

"Recently I told the Higher Education Minister that the rules restricting students' freedom to speak must be abolished. So within one or two weeks we will table it in Parliament," he said at the Temu Anwar programme with Wira Muda Negara @ PLKN 3.0 at the National Service Training Branch 515 here today.

In August, Anwar announced that the government would repeal AUKU because, despite several amendments made previously, it still did not fully meet the wishes and aspirations of university students.

AUKU has been amended seven times since it was introduced in 1971, with a 2012 amendment allowing students to take part in activities organised by political parties outside campus. - BERNAMA