Melaka: The government will repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) 1971 to provide greater freedom and wider democratic space for students in the country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He announced that the proposal to abolish the Act would be presented to the Cabinet next Wednesday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar highlighted that although previous amendments to AUKU had increased student participation, there is a pressing need to broaden the scope of their freedom in alignment with the nation's education reform agenda. "Students feel they should be given more freedom. We have given them more freedom through several amendments to AUKU, but some are still not satisfied. They submitted a memorandum, so today I want to announce that we will repeal AUKU," Anwar stated during his policy speech at the 2026 PKR National Congress at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC), Ayer Keroh.

The event was attended by PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, DAP treasurer Ngeh Koo Ham, and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. Anwar emphasized that the repeal of AUKU is part of the broader educational reforms that his administration aims to implement, as political, security, and economic stability continue to strengthen under his leadership.

Anwar further stated his commitment to advancing the reform agenda, addressing delayed issues, and enhancing education at various levels, including early education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). He underscored the government's responsibility to ensure equitable access to preschool education, particularly for children in rural and interior areas, to avoid disparities between urban and rural education systems.