KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 ― The recent removal of five chairmen from public universities were carried out as part of Pakatan Harapan’s agenda of institutional reforms, Education Minister Maszlee Malik said today.

"It’s about having a new leadership with fresh ideas and a new spirit of reform that is better.

"As we are in an early stage of our administration, we need those who can carry the agenda of institutional reforms better than the ones before,” he said when met by reporters after Question Time in the Lower House this evening.

This was in response to reports of five varsity chairmen being axed by the Education Ministry, via termination letters undersigned by Maszlee himself that were issued on June 23.

It was reported that Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Zaki Azmi, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin’s Kamaruddin Hussin, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Noorul Ainur, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn’s Shufri Mohd Zin, and Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Anuar Ali all had their services terminated by the ministry.

The report also claimed the boards of the affected universities were also served with notices to shorten their remaining tenure.

Maszlee then explained the axed heads of varsities were removed as they were seen as a hindrance in carrying forward the agenda of institutional reform.

"Just like how the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mentioned regarding the GLC heads, those removed were seen as unable to work together to accelerate the change brought by the government.

"This in turn would hinder the reform of institutions that we are after,” he elaborated, referring to Putrajaya.

Maszlee added individuals already removed from their positions were indeed political appointees of the previous Barisan Nasional administration, while staying mum when asked if more varsity heads were on the chopping block.

"Just wait and see. We need new fresh faces like what we see in parliament with the new ministers.

"So it would be similar for the government institutions; we need some new faces,” he added.