Amendment of section 15 AUKU 1971 and political participation among university students / Dayang Rohana Awang Hamit

Since the early age of independence, it is obvious that Malaysia government discourage political participation from the university student. The higher institutions were viewed solely as the tertiary centre of teaching and learning, with no rights given to the student towards involvement in the political agenda and government's decision making. The establishment of the University and University Colleges Act (AUKU) 1971 indicates the government determinations in prohibited the university students from participating in the politics and thus, act as a mean to control the behavior of the students. For many years, due to the strict implementation of the Act, students do not have the rights to give comment, to suggest, or to show disagreement towards any government activities which might directly or indirectly affecting their rights as part of the society. Moreover, the student's obedience towards the Act also mainly caused by the fear of being suspended or dismissed from the university or college in which this situation may lead to difficulty in continuing their studies. Although the Act is to provide for establishment, maintenance, and administration of universities and university colleges, and has 27 sections to it, it is Section 15; related to the freedom of associations and discipline of students that has been the most contentious (New Strait Times, 2008). The Act has become the rigid guidelines of do's and don'ts in regulating and controlling the student's behavior, but little precaution has been considered by the government towards the environmental pressures that may cause disruptive reaction against the Act.