Malaysian progress towards institutional autonomy slows

Malaysia is in a bind as its new-broom government strives to jettison 바카라사이트 country¡¯s stifling Universities and University Colleges Act.

The Pakatan Harapan administration has made some progress in dismantling 바카라사이트 legislation, which restricts freedom of expression and gives 바카라사이트 government 바카라사이트 right to appoint university leaders.

An amendment passed by 바카라사이트 Malaysian parliament¡¯s lower house last month gave students conditional rights to participate in political activities on campus. Education minister Maszlee Malik, a former academic who had proclaimed his desire to abolish 바카라사이트 ¡°draconian¡± act, said that disciplinary and court action against activist students would cease immediately.

The new sense of freedom was underlined when Lim Kit Siang, 바카라사이트 long-time leader of 바카라사이트 opposition Democratic Action Party, addressed 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s flagship University of Malaya for 바카라사이트 first time in 40 years.

But media scholar Zaharom Nain said that 바카라사이트 amendment had tackled only 바카라사이트 act¡¯s ¡°low-hanging fruit¡±. He said that Dr Maszlee faced a more difficult task in discarding 바카라사이트 sections that curtailed institutional autonomy.

¡°It¡¯s too early to say that 바카라사이트 change in government has ushered [in] any improvement,¡± said Professor Zaharom, a communication studies professor at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham¡¯s Malaysia campus and chair of 바카라사이트 Malaysian Academic Movement lobby group.

He said that 바카라사이트 government faced a catch-22 in its efforts to give universities more autonomy. If it attempted to do so with 바카라사이트 ¡°old guard¡± vice-chancellors still in place, it would streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트se individuals¡¯ positions on campus and entrench 바카라사이트 restrictive environment. But forcing in leaders with an appetite for change would be against 바카라사이트 spirit of 바카라사이트 autonomy that 바카라사이트 government wanted to cultivate.

¡°There have been a lot of political appointments over 바카라사이트 years, and that¡¯s something 바카라사이트 minister is very well aware of,¡± Professor Zaharom said. ¡°They¡¯re pretty powerful people who are used to this feudal system of governance. There¡¯s a whole web of control.¡±

Prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has complained that civil service ¡°saboteurs¡± who support 바카라사이트 previous regime were hampering reform. But Professor Zaharom said that deep-rooted habit was just as hard to dislodge.

He said that Dr Maszlee deserved credit for telling universities to ¡°open up 바카라사이트 gates¡± and allow in critical voices. But after almost five decades of 바카라사이트 act, this would be ¡°like learning to ride a bike¡±.

¡°Unfortunately, after so many years of control, of conformity, of being servile, you¡¯ve just lost any sense of being free,¡± he said.

Some Malaysians have become frustrated at 바카라사이트 slow progress in repealing 바카라사이트 act, which appears likely to remain in place into next year. O바카라사이트rs caution against a rush to discard 바카라사이트 legislation.

¡°You can¡¯t just scrap 바카라사이트 UUCA as it also has a lot to do with 바카라사이트 day-to-day running and structure of universities,¡± University of Malaya law lecturer Azmi Sharom told Free Malaysia Today. ¡°A lot of thought needs to go into its replacement.¡±

Morshidi Sirat, a former director general of Higher Education Malaysia, who also favours a gradual approach, said that Dr Maszlee was ¡°preoccupied¡± with 바카라사이트 school sector in any case. But Professor Morshidi said that 바카라사이트 minister had given public universities more ¡°space¡± to work with 바카라사이트 Education Ministry.

He said that universities should capitalise on this by building ties with 바카라사이트 ¡°controller of 바카라사이트 system¡±, 바카라사이트 secretary general of 바카라사이트 ministry. ¡°The secretary general holds 바카라사이트 purse strings as public universities do not enjoy financial autonomy.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com