KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said today the government was aiming to table amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA) that would grant students more freedom to be politically active by the end of the year.

Khaled made the announcement at a town hall session involving government agencies, universities, and student groups held in Putrajaya this morning, where the minister said the amendments would create more space for student activism, including the autonomy to manage their own finances.

The final draft of the amendments would be submitted to the Attorney General’s Chambers by mid-June, he said.

"We’ve identified the sections (that require amendments) and are in the process of harmonising them,” Astro Awani had quoted the minister as saying.

"The ministry is now finalising the clauses that involve giving students more space and freedom to move at all times, which involves (political) activities as well as responsibilities and the opportunity to manage their own (financial) accounts,” Mohamed Khaled added.

Students have fought to repeal the UUCA for more than a decade, calling the law an infringement on their rights to organise, get politically involved and criticise the government.

The first Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration had vowed to "replace” it, but was thwarted after defections of its own lawmakers enabled a power grab that kicked the coalition out of power in 2020.

PH is now in power again but as part of a coalition government whose member parties consist of previous political leaders who were supportive of the UUCA. Last month, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mohamad Yusof Apdal said the government has no plans to abolish it "as it remains relevant”.

But Mohamed Khaled today suggested the new amendments to the UUCA would address what students opposed in the law.

"This is something we believe can tackle the complaints of restriction by students, and we are also of the opinion that the amendments are a good way to make them more mature by empowering them to manage their own activities and financial accounts,” the minister said.

The UUCA amendments could also pave the way for tweaks of the MARA University Technology Act with the aim of lifting the same restrictive provisions, Mohamad Khaled said.

"UiTM is not governed by the UUCA but clauses in (its own Act) mirror the UUCA so we want to amend them too so that UiTM students won’t be left behind because the Act (governing UiTM) is not amended,” he said.