Hanipa said the government made the decision on November 2 after considering a plea from the Council of Eminent Persons submitted in June. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — The government has plans to reinstate the disbanded National Professor’s Council (MPN), Mohamed Hanipa Maidin told the Dewan Rakyat today.

The deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) said the government made the decision on November 2 after considering a plea from the Council of Eminent Persons submitted in June.

“On November 2, 2018, the government has agreed to reinstate MPN with a different name and it will be restructured. A new membership will be chosen based on merit, qualification and free from political interference.

“It will be placed under the Education Ministry,” Hanipa said during Question Time.

MPN was among the first government agencies axed by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government after its first Cabinet meeting on May 23.

Hanipa previously alleged that some MPN members were politically affiliated to Barisan Nasional and had used their positions to spread propaganda in favour of the then-ruling coalition.

However, the deputy minister acknowledged that there could only have been one rogue academic within the MPN who abused his position.

He hoped that the new professors in the council will not use their position to curry favour with politicians.

“We don’t even encourage it if they support PH. MPN is not a political platform for them to further their political aspirations.

“However, with MPN’s reinstatement and restructuring, we hope the MPN will truly be an independent body,” Hanipa added.