Kuala Lampur, Aug. 15 -- For 55 years, the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU) has defined the boundaries of student life and political participation in Malaysian public universities.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement that the government intends to abolish AUKU therefore represents more than the repeal of a controversial law. It provides Malaysia with an opportunity to reconsider the relationship between university students and the country's democratic system.

AUKU was introduced in 1971, when Malaysia was navigating a very different political and social environment. Over the decades, particularly following amendments in the 1970s, the Act became associated with restrictions on student political act...