Kuala Lampur, Aug. 28 -- Merdeka Day is around the corner, and it feels fitting that this debate is happening now. The spirit of 1957 was about the people deciding they were capable of governing, thinking, and speaking for themselves without needing anyone's permission first. 69 years on, that same spirit is what is missing from our lecture halls and staff rooms, and it is what this repeal has to restore if it is going to mean anything.

I was in the Dewan Tunku Canselor (DTC) on 26th September 2026, listening to the prime minister and the panellists which include the minister of higher education make the case for repeal in person and Khoo Ying Hooi's recent op-ed, "Anwar, you once had to break through UM's gates, now make sure no one els...