National University of Malaysia

Proposal

In 1968, calls for the establishment of a national university emerged from various sectors, including political parties such as UMNO, PRM, DAP, and PAS. Several state governments, including Pahang, Sabah and Malacca, expressed support by offering land or financial assistance. Non-government organisations, student groups, and teachers unions like Sabah Government's Teachers Union (KGKS) and Angkatan Gaya Baru Sabah also voiced their support for the establishment of UKM.

On 25 August 1968, a Working Committee chaired by Syed Nasir Ismail, a Malay intellectual and director of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, was set up to prepare a report recommended the establishment of UKM. Other prominent members of this committee include Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who would become Malaysia's fourth prime minister, and Dr. Mohd Rashdan Haji Baba, who later became UKM's first Vice-Chancellor.

On 7 September 1968, the then-Education Minister Mohamed Khir Johari officially announced the government will establish a national university, which would use the Malay language as the main medium of instruction, but English and Arabic would still be used in certain subjects. The university would also be open to all regardless of race and it was expected to open in 1970.

Opening

On 18 May 1970, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia opened its doors to 192 undergraduate students in Jalan Pantai Baru, Kuala Lumpur, a temporary campus housing three main faculties, the Faculties of Science, Arts and Islamic Studies. On 18 January 1972, the then-prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, after obtaining agreement from the working committee, decided to build the permanent campus of UKM on a 930 ha (2,300 acres) site in the town of Bangi, near Kajang.

In October 1977, UKM moved to its present premises which form the main campus in Bangi. The campus has a size of 1,096 ha (2,710 acres). UKM has two health campuses, the Kuala Lumpur campus in Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, and the UKM Medical Centre in Cheras. The Kuala Lumpur campus consists of the Faculties of Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Dentistry and the Pre-Clinical Departments of the Medical Faculty. With a size of 20 ha (49 acres), the Kuala Lumpur campus was established in 1974.

The campus in Cheras consists of the Medical Faculty, the UKM Teaching Hospital (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM (HCTM)) and the UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI). The Cheras campus was opened in 1997. Besides these campuses, UKM operates seven research stations (RS): The Tasik Chini RS, The Marine Ecosystem RS, The Langkawi Geopark RS, The Marine RS, The Fraser's Hill RS, The Plant Biotechnology RS and in the main campus itself, the UKM Campus Living Laboratory, which comprises the UKM Permanent Forest Reserve, or its Malay name, Hutan Simpan Kekal UKM as well as the Fernarium and the Herbarium.

In 2006, UKM won the Prime Minister's Quality Award and achieved the status of a Malaysian Research University.

In 2023, UKM established its first overseas branch campus in Lusail City, Qatar. The branch campus was established with the collaboration of The Regional Group of Qatar, who provided the facilities, infrastructure, equipments and materials for the campus. The agreement to set up the Qatar campus was signed on 19 May 2022 and the campus was opened by Prime Minister Anwar Ibhrahim on 14 May 2024.

Controversies

2022 Convocation dress code

On 30 October 2022, an infographic poster published by the university and outlining the dress code for the upcoming 2022 convocation draws ire and went viral on social media. The poster in question shown examples of what attire is acceptable and unacceptable to be worn during the ceremony for both male and female graduates.

However, cheongsam and saree, both being the traditional dresses for Chinese and Indian women respectively, were listed as "inappropriate" and prohibited alongside short-sleeved blouse and knee-length skirt. This immediately sparked online accusations of racial discrimination or racial bias against the university. The poster hosted on the university's website was then deleted on the same day.

A day later on 31 October 2022, UKM uploaded a revised version of its latest dress code guideline for the upcoming convocation. The new guidelines said graduands and guests attending the convocation ceremony will be allowed to wear baju kebangsaan (national attire), but it did not specify which national attire is allowed, only explicitly stating all items of clothing worn must be dark-coloured, fully sleeved and extend to one's ankle.

UKM frog logo

On 5 April 2021, Fahmi Reza, who is a political satirical artist and activist, uploaded an artwork resembling the coat of arms of UKM with the accompanying text "Universiti Katak Kebangsaan" (National Frog University), on his social media. The artwork was supposed to symbolise Communications Minister Saifuddin Abdullah's reputation for political party hopping. Fahmi later claimed that "It is just a satirical, fictitious logo for a fictitious [frog] university that gave out that fictitious master's degree" and has "nothing to do with UKM".

Due to the resemblance of the artwork to UKM's coat of arms, Fahmi Reza was hit with a letter of demand by UKM on 7 April 2021, claiming such artwork is an insult against the university and demanded him to delete the artwork from his social media within 7 days, failing which will result in legal action taken against him. However, Fahmi said he refuse to comply with such demand. Fahmi was also investigated and has his statement recorded by the Kajang police over the artwork.

'Kelas Demokrasi' shut down

In the month preceding the 15th General Election held on 19 November 2022, Fahmi Reza went on a tour at numerous universities around the country and held a forum titled "Kelas Demokrasi" (Democracy Class) with the aim to increase political literacy among the universities' youths. However, his Kelas Demokrasi forum held at the UKM Bangi campus on 10 November 2022, with over 200 students attending, was shut down by the university's auxiliary police and security 10 minutes after it was started. UKM's security shut down the sound system and told the crowd to disperse. UKM's management said such event requires permission for it to be held on campus. The forum was later relocated to C&P Coffee Company in Bandar Baru Bangi, which is located outside the campus.