A student group has urged Adam Adli to continue championing higher education reform following his appointment as deputy higher education minister.
Universiti Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) president Tang Yi Ze said Adam’s new role should serve as a platform to advance genuine reforms rather than abandon the principles he fought for as a student activist.
Tang highlighted Adam’s longstanding opposition to the Universities and University Colleges Act (Auku) 1971, which he personally experienced when he was disciplined for lowering a flag bearing former prime minister Najib Razak’s face and replacing it with one advocating academic freedom in 2011.
“Having faced Auku’s draconian effects firsthand, Adam is uniquely positioned to take firm steps toward its abolition,” Tang said.
The student leader also called for broader reforms, including the abolition of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan system and the introduction of free higher education. Tang argued that rising tuition fees and student loans prevent underprivileged families from accessing university education, which he described as a fundamental right.
“Higher education has become a basic necessity for young people. Free education is essential to ensure fairness, expand social mobility, and secure Malaysia’s long-term development,” he added.
Adam was shifted from his previous post as deputy youth and sports minister in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent Cabinet reshuffle.
