Zambry: Separate group to draft new Bill
KUALA LUMPUR: A committee will be set up to oversee the drafting of the proposed One Higher Education Act, which will replace the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (Auku), says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
The Higher Education Minister said the next step would be consultations with stakeholders across the higher education sector.
A separate group would then be formed to draft the new Bill, he said, adding that a transition mechanism would also be needed.
“There must also be a transition mechanism because we do not want to simply announce the repeal and then be left wondering how these universities will function.
“Without legislation governing these matters, the universities cannot function,” he told reporters at the Higher Education Ministry Graduate Employability Conference 2026 yesterday.
Zambry said the process would take time as the proposed legislation involves several aspects including the interests of students, the establishment of the university, governance, academics and the position of lecturers.
“This will take some time,” he noted, adding that work on the process has already begun.
Zambry also said the higher education sector had undergone significant changes over the past five decades, making it necessary to review the existing legislation from various aspects.
“So, when we want to replace it, we need to look at the whole matter and not just put the name of a (new) Act while the old issues are still there,” he said.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also announced the repeal of Auku. We respect that and we need to proceed with the next steps.”
Introduced in 1971, Auku has been amended seven times, most recently in 2024.
Speaking at the event, Zambry stressed that Malaysia’s new graduate employability strategic plan must look beyond job placement to focus on earning power and career progression into high-skilled roles.
“In the past – and perhaps this is still partly the case today – we operated within the context of job readiness. But going forward, we need to establish a platform that creates future readiness,” he said in his speech.
While recent employment figures show improvement, Zambry said attention must shift toward job quality and skill alignment.
He said the cumulative number of graduates stood at 5.98 million in 2024, with the graduate unemployment rate falling to 3.2%, while the overall median monthly salary rose to RM4,521.
Zambry noted that 2024 median monthly salaries for graduates stood at RM5,723 for high-skilled roles, RM2,550 for semi-skilled roles and RM1,990 for low-skilled jobs.
“This shows the core issue is not simply whether graduates find employment but rather graduates taking jobs that do not match their qualifications, skills and productivity.”
Zambry said greater emphasis should therefore be placed on aligning salary progression with graduates’ skills, monitoring sector-specific placement rates and addressing underemployment while creating pathways for graduates to move into high-skilled roles.
