Vice Chancellors' Appointments Not Done Hastily - Zambry

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- The appointment of vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors of public universities are never done in haste or based on political factors as claimed on social media or in poison pen letters.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir pointed out that the appointments were done in accordance to procedures set under Section 4A of the Universities and University Colleges Amendment 2019 (AUKU), based on recommendations from the university’s management board and the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Rectors of Public Universities.

“So (the process) needs to go through various screenings, the Minister will select the candidate based on the law under Part I, Section 9(1) of the AUKU,” he said during his ministry’s winding up session on the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat today.

There have been claims that the selection of vice-chancellors for Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) were not done in accordance to the screening and interview process.

Zambry also denied allegations that the current generation of university students were hedonistic due to the organisation of activities such as concerts in public and private institutions of higher learning.

“Any type of organising conducted by university students or universities are subject to regulations, and these regulations are guidelines that have been drafted and prepared by the universities,” he added.

-- BERNAMA