CURTIN University's handing of an honorary degree to the wife of the Malaysian Prime Minister has "become quite an issue in Malaysia".

"Many of us here find it quite shocking," Tian Chua, vice-president of Malaysia's People's Justice Party, told The Australian.

"We worry that this has compromised academic values of freedom and independence from politics and politicisation."

Curtin University has found itself embroiled in a grassroots social media-based rebellion since it awarded the degree to Rosmah Mansor in Perth on February 11.

Detractors, who are calling for the degree to be revoked, say the justification of the award -- for services to early childhood education through the Permata learning centres -- was "hardly befitting" given the fact it was a project funded by her husband's government.

"Many see her as undeserving of the award," Ms Anwar said, adding that she would not go so far as to request the university to revoke the degree.

"However, it would be prudent for academic institutions to thoroughly assess the awarding of a doctorate based on merit, lest they be accused of being open to political meddling or influence," Ms Anwar said.

Yesterday, about 4000 people had signed on to the "Boycott Curtin University till Rosmah Mansor's Doctorate Revoked" Facebook page.

Curtin is one of three Australian universities to run a campus in Malaysia.

Overall, it had nearly 5500 Malaysians enrolled on its campuses in Perth, Sarawak and Singapore and various overseas partnerships last year, according to a university spokeswoman.

Soon Yee Yap, an organiser of the campaign to have the degree revoked, said with the arrival of many international students on campus this week, he expected an upsurge in activity.

"Commercially, Curtin University has a lot to lose if Malaysian students boycott the university," he said.

Ms Anwar, who is a member of her father's opposition party, yesterday wrote to the university demanding to know how it had justified the awarding of the honorary degree.

She noted Perth had one of the world's largest Malaysian populations and that the issue was "one of the most talked about subjects on the Twitterverse, blogosphere and other social medias".

The university again declined to comment.