My comments on Dr Edmund Terrence Gomez are labelled, but not countered, by Dr Shanti Moorthy.

Moreover, references to 'cavalier treatment', the 'horrifying decline in standards', the allegation that the UM Vice-chancellor and company are 'treating the University of Malaya as their private kingdom for political profiteering and manoeuvring' are not explained or substantiated.

This makes the attempt to debate difficult.

Gomez probably has good reason to be unhappy. But are there no others in Malaysia facing problems with their bosses? More importantly, will UM standards improve from its rock bottom levels by championing this cause?

Where do UM's real weaknesses lie? In teaching? In research? In admission policy? In the Minister for Higher Education? In the Barisan Nasional government?

Is everyone barking up the wrong tree, or missing the woods for the tree?