Govt to consider special legal protection for public uni lecturers

The government is looking at giving lecturers at public universities special legal protection under a new law to safeguard their academic freedom.

Deputy higher education minister Adam Adli said the proposed One Higher Education Act would recognise that lecturers have responsibilities beyond those of ordinary employees.

“The new law will provide special protection for academic freedom, recognising that lecturers have a role beyond the usual employer-employee relationship,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Adam said the ministry was also considering setting up an independent council or panel to review university appointments, decisions and how universities are run.

He said a body could help keep university management in check and ensure that universities are free to make academic decisions without undue interference.

Adam said public universities could also be given more say over staff management, the courses and programmes they offer, and partnerships with other institutions.

The proposals emerged during a debate on plans to repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (Auku) and replace it with the new law.

Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera) asked whether the new law would give universities genuine freedom to make their own decisions, particularly in appointing vice-chancellors and board members, managing finances and handling academic matters.

Questions were also raised over whether lecturers would be protected from university pressure, including in promotions, and who would oversee management under the new law.

Adam said the ministry was studying seven existing laws governing higher education to see how they could be brought together under the proposed Act.

He said discussions with students, lecturers, legal experts and MPs would continue as the government worked on the new legislation.

He said the aim was to ensure that Auku was not simply replaced by another law that restricts the freedom of students, lecturers and universities.

Adam said Auku also governed the establishment and running of public universities, making it necessary to put proper arrangements in place before repealing it.

The government has ordered public universities to stop disciplinary proceedings against students over peaceful assemblies, public criticism and expressions of opinion while work on the new law continues.

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