New Higher Education Act unlikely to be tabled next month

Higher Education Minister Zambry Abd Kadir indicated that a new law to supersede the current Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) may not meet the target of being presented to Parliament next month. The delay stems from ongoing consultations with multiple parties involved in the legislative process. Among those being engaged are members of a parliamentary select committee tasked with reviewing the proposed act, Zambry said. The consultations are aimed at ensuring broad consensus and incorporating feedback from various stakeholders before the bill is formally tabled for debate. The government has signaled its commitment to modernizing higher education legislation, but officials have acknowledged that the deliberative process requires sufficient time to address concerns from different quarters. No revised timeline for the tabling of the new act has been announced at this stage.