Did you know?

Due to the 1969 racial riot in KL, universities were put under the jurisdiction of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance No. 74 which later became the basis of AUKU which was enacted later in 1971.

AUKU later become the legal instrument that formalises the relationship between the State and the Universities.

In tabling the AUKU in the Parliament, the then Minister of Education, Hussein Onn explained:

The @unimalaya that we know of today was established under the University of Malaya Act 1961.

Other universities like University of Penang (now USM) and National University (now UKM) although have their own Constitutions, their drafts were not tabled in the Parliament.

The drafts were later absorbed as Schedule within AUKU to form the template for a university constitution!

That is just a matter of intervention to Universities' establishment. The most critical part to AUKU is the 1975 amendment to it. They include:

1) Ss 15 & 16 to allow expulsion & suspension of students

2) Ss 16A & 16C to allow disciplinary action taken towards academics & staff

3) Selection of STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES through SECRET BALLOT

4) Power to appoint VCs handed to YDPA on the advice of the Minister from Uni Council

5) Minister to appoint DVCs

6) VC to appoint Deans, Deputy & Head of Institutes or Schools & not through election among academics

The amendments above somehow is in contradiction of the assurance made by the Minister in tabling the AUKU, in which he stated (emphasis mine):

That signifies the end of this thread! Which topic would you be more interested in:

(Will consider making threads of them)