KUCHING, Nov. 17 -- Sarawak's free tertiary education initiative cannot be extended to Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak because both institutions are federally administered and governed by policies beyond the state's control, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said the state government must respect the governance structure of federal universities, whose academic and financial matters are determined by their respective senates and subject to national policies.

"Unimas and UiTM are federal institutions. We cannot interfere because it may contradict policies in Peninsular Malaysia.

"Their governance is under the university senate, so it is difficult for us to int...