University staff call for more autonomy from politicians

The Star Online 18 May 2018

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Association of Academic and Administrative Staff has asked that public universities be allowed to self-manage, including to review the pay packages for academics, and to be free from laws that restrict freedom of discussion, writes Yimie Yong for The Star Online.

“PKAPUSM [the Association of Academic and Administrative Staff] would like to stress that there should be little or no political interference in our professional day to day operations. Academicians are naturally accountable to the requirements of their disciplines and needs of their respective institutions,” PKAPUSM President Dr P Sundramoorthy said in a statement. “We are answerable to our field of knowledge and not politicians. In public institutions of higher education, the academics should manage academia and not be instructed by politicians.”

The PKAPUSM president said the appointment of a university's top management should come from the respective university and not from the education minister. "We should elect our [own] top management, especially for the post of vice-chancellor, deputy vice-chancellors and registrar,” he added.
Full report on The Star Online site

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