Gerakan Youth supports Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) chancellor’s call for the university to be given more autonomy so it can improve its performance, effectiveness and efficiency as a prime research university in Malayisa.

Gerakan Youth secretary-general Dr Dominic Lau said in fact not only UKM, other varsities should be given greater freedom and powers to function as a respectable university with excellent academic and research outputs without worrying too much about bureaucracy and political interference.

“We hope the Higher Education Ministry will respond to the request favourably so that UKM (and indeed other universities as well) can manage their core business freely and professionally on its own in achieving its mission and objectives,” said Dominic in a statement.

Lau said the fact that recently three of Hong Kong’s universities were ranked top five in the QS Asian University was a clear proof that universities with autonomy and free from unwarranted bureaucratic interference performed better than the rest.

In his Royal Lecture before launching UKM’s 40th anniversary celebrations in Bangi on Tuesday, Negri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir said autonomy included the ability to implement decisions based on an efficient and effective administration with a responsibility for achieving the university’s objectives.

Tuanku Muhriz said more autonomy in financial management would mean the university could make decisions based on accountability and integrity in a transparent governance system.

On a separate issue, Lau urged UKM to drop the charge against four students for allegedly “campaigning” in the recent Hulu Selangor by-election.

Lau described the University and University Colleges Act (UCCA) that prohibits students’ freedom of association is archaic and discriminatory, especially against local undergraduates, as young Malaysians that are studying abroad are not subject to such restrictions.

Lau urged the government to overhaul the ACT substantially to bring it more in tune with the demands for greater autonomy and academic freedom of modern times.

The final year students claimed that they were in Hulu Selangor as “political science students, who went to the ground to understand real politics.”