The neoliberalisation of Malaysia’s university system has driven the growth of expensive private institutions, accompanied by declining government funding for public universities. Amanda Shweeta Louis, Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) member and chairperson of their youth wing, Pemuda Sosialis, spoke to Green Left’s Isaac Nellist about the commercialisation of Malaysia’s education system, solidarity with Palestine and why young Malaysians are looking to socialism.
Shweeta Louis is a featured speaker at the Ecosocialism 2025: Ecosocialism not Barbarism conference in Naarm/Melbourne over September 5–7. Book your tickets and find out more here.
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Can you tell us about the push to privatise Malaysia’s education system?
The situation for students in Malaysia is challenging because our system is split into public and private universities, and both have shortcomings.
The last public university was built in 2007. It is common in capitalist countries for public universities to be limited in number and capacity, making entry extremely competitive.
In Malaysia, we have the Bumiputera quota, which dates back to the 1970s, and is designed to favour Malays and Indigenous people with affirmative action in public education to elevate their socio-economic status.
It was introduced to diffuse inter-ethnic tensions following the May 13 incident — a period of clashes between Malay and Chinese communities in May 1969 — and placate the Malay majority over the Malaysian Chinese and Indian communities.
This was intended as a temporary measure but is still in effect.
The government abolished race-based admissions to public universities in 2002, but the quota system remains in matriculation colleges. Some courses have a 90% quota, while others are exclusively for Bumiputeras.
The issue comes when public universities can’t accommodate everyone. This shows the government has stepped back from its responsibility of providing free, accessible education to all, opening the floodgates to the private sector.
The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 led to a mushrooming of private universities.
Right-wing race-based political parties have seized the opportunity to establish their own education institutions as a way to maintain their political hegemony.
Over the past decade, the government has been cutting spending on public education — in the 2010s, higher education received 6–8% of the national budget, now it is closer to 4%. Public universities are being told to do more with less.
The shrinking investment shows a gap between the “Madani” [civilised] government’s reformist rhetoric and reality.
They are not providing the affordable and quality access to higher education that they promised.
This is part of a broader neoliberal trend, where the cost is shifted from the state to individuals and their families.
The Ministry of Higher Education was created in 2004 to strengthen the sector, but it has become a tool for politicians to control universities.
Ministers have the power to appoint their cronies as vice-chancellors, making independence impossible.
To quote some research by New Mandala: “These lofty promises of the national higher education blueprint are often undermined by stagnant funding and outdated financial models … performance-based funding now rewards short-term metrics like publication counts and graduate employability rather than long-term goals such as academic excellence, critical thinking and socially impactful research.”
How does this impact students?
Private education is very expensive — many young people graduate with debt.
The student loan system, called the PTPTN, is a state-sanctioned debt trap.
Graduates are burdened with repaying debts while earning low salaries and facing limited job opportunities. The minimum wage is only RM 1700 (A$615) a month.
My mother used her retirement funds for my education after I was unable to access the public university stream — this is the reality for thousands.
Our education system is a brutal engine of neoliberal exploitation — you pay so much for education, graduate into a terrible job market, carry debt, get a job you don’t like, and feel hopeless.
How are students resisting this neoliberal push?
There are no strong student movements directly challenging the commodification of higher education. Some student groups engage in struggles for broader democratic rights, such as for the right to peaceful assemblies.
The PSM has consistently advocated for a fundamental solution — free public education.
We see education as a fundamental human right, essential for individual development, meaningful societal contribution and improving socio-economic conditions. Education should not be a commodity.
Achieving this would require a major expansion of public education infrastructure — building more public universities, colleges and institutions to increase capacity.
A crucial first step would be the government taking over some of the troubled financial institutions, so that there are already buildings available for education.
Ultimately, free education would significantly reduce the burden on young people already facing rising living costs.
Malaysia has historically supported Palestine. As Israel’s genocide approaches the two-year mark, how has the government responded?
Malaysia has maintained a longstanding vocal diplomatic position in support of Palestine. The current government intensified this rhetoric, condemning the displacement and genocide and calling for decisive international action against Israel and the United States.
These official statements serve important roles in diplomatic channels, but the effectiveness and sincerity of the government is undermined by involvement in concurrent military engagements.
Malaysia participated in RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. Israel also participated.
In the front, the government is pro-Palestine but behind closed doors they shake hands with those complicit in the genocide.
In July, we had a military training exercise with the US and Australian imperialist powers through Exercise Keris Strike, which they claim improves “regional security”.
This makes our words less credible.
Without real action, like imposing sanctions or kicking out the US embassy, words of condemnation just feel empty.
While we continue to operate with these military powers, we are prioritising strategic partnerships over stopping the genocide. It is heartbreaking.
What about the grassroots movement for Palestine?
Gegar Amerika has been active in street actions and protests outside the US embassy.
At two protests, comrades were arrested; at another, two were called in for questioning.
We are all here for the same cause — a free Palestine — but the police, influenced by the government and the US embassy, are investigating us.
Are young people in Malaysia looking towards socialist ideas as the solution to climate destruction, cost of living and war?
Absolutely. Young Malaysians are waking up to the harsh truth: capitalism sucks and it is destroying our future.
Especially when you graduate with debt, your pay check is used up on rent and the climate crisis is worsening.
Turning left becomes the only viable option.
There’s growing understanding that the system is rigged — we work so hard, for what? Profit is prioritised, while the planet burns.
Young people are also starved for community — we have lost “third spaces”.
The shopping complexes and “third spaces” available require you to buy something. We are seeing less parks and there are no public spaces that are free and open. Living under capitalism means there is no need for a public space that is not profitable.
Pemuda Sosialis’ numbers are surging — we are a vital force in PSM, making up 20% of the party.
For those who are unsure of what to do when life under capitalism gets too underwhelming, we need channel this energy into organisation under socialist principles.
Capitalism thrives by dividing struggles. We have climate activists working separately, workers over here, students over there. But fighting in isolation is what capitalism wants. It makes the movements easier to crush.
Socialism provides the framework to unite these struggles — we are fighting the same system.
Liberalism only offers reforms that don’t get to the root causes.
Pandering to the right is worse — it is hopeless. The right directs rage at migrants and the poor, while protecting the elites that actually caused the crisis.
Anger and frustration among youth needs proper direction. Without a clear ideology, this energy risks being misdirected or co-opted.
Socialist principles provide analysis and strategic focus for collective action aimed at fundamental change.
That’s why PSM’s socialist framework is vital — we connect the dots and unite the struggle into one fight against capitalism.
When nothing goes right, go left.
[Watch the full interview here. Find out more about the Ecosocialism 2025 conference here.]