YOURSAY 'To pillory an academician like Abdul Aziz, who is a senior law lecturer, for venturing a legal opinion is so ridiculous it beggars belief.'

your say Gen2: A university is supposed to be a place for intellectual discussion and debate on important issues which affect society.

By issuing a show-cause letter, if true in this case, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) has degraded itself. It will become a place fit only for those who come here from foreign lands to print black money and run Internet scams.

The good Prophet will be ashamed that the name 'Islamic' is used for such an institution.

Swipenter: The hounding of Prof Aziz Bari has begun in earnest starting with MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission), followed by the police and now UIA.

Anyone with an independent mind and dares to express publicly an opinion different from Umno is a fair game for harassment and persecution by the institutions controlled by the world's aspiring best democracy.

We are wrong to think that only fascist and/or communist regimes practice such methods to silence and cow their citizens and intellectuals into submission and conformity.

Not Confused: To pillory an academician like Abdul Aziz, who is a senior law lecturer, for venturing a legal opinion is so ridiculous it beggars belief.

Once again, the Islamic authorities in this country are so running scared of their own shadows that they will lash out in every direction when someone delivers a view that does not coincide with their own.

This is puerile nonsense and its about time these ‘authorities' accepted that everyone is entitled to their opinion and under the constitution, is entitled to express that opinion, providing it is not defamatory or in some other way illegal.

Abdul Aziz's opinion is based on his legal knowledge and expertise. End of story.

Louis: Aziz Bari, you are indeed a gentleman and certainly a very good Muslim. You told the truth despite knowing that you would be persecuted for it. It is very hard to be upright in this beloved country of ours.

But you have chosen the hard way and paid a high price. On the other hand, liars and cheats are well rewarded. Malaysians salute you as a true gentleman.

P Dev Anand Pillai: This is the best chance for law lecturer Abdul Aziz Bari to quit UIA and join a better university.

This is what P Ramasamy had to go through when he was with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Today, he is the deputy chief minister of Penang.

They harassed academician Farish A Noor, and he now teaches in Singapore. They did the same to Prof Azly Rahman, and he is now in the United States.

They will continue this Gestapo-like rule if the Malay academicians disagree and revolt. So the moral of the story is that the Malays must remain dumb and stupid and must not question the authorities.

There is no room for smart Malays in Malaysia. Your own kind will finish you off.

Aziz, get out while you can, join PAS and seek a good urban seat. You will definitely win hands down if you are a candidate this coming GE.

Rick Teo: Umno has started its dirty tricks to punish those who criticise them. Don't worry Aziz, the likes of you should have no problem finding a good job in Singapore and the West.

They need people like you who can articulate constitutional issues with clarity and impartiality.

Umno is digging its own grave because ordinary Malaysians, especially academicians, will be angry with the government for punishing Aziz. This government has just lost its plot.

Dood: Show cause? Has the university administration gone retard? Aziz spoke in his capacity as an expert on constitutional matters. He also did so in a neutral and objective manner.

Why is the university pandering to extremists such as senator Ezam Mohd Nor and others in the Umno-BN gang?

Bender: Another minus point for UIA in particular and Malaysian IPTAs (public universities) in general in terms of global university ranking.

Having 'antarabangsa' to your name won't automatically make you a world-class university. World class universities don't crucify their best professors for standing up to the truth. They would be proud instead for having such prominent intellectuals as part of their team.

Of all the universities in this country, UIA should be the one which should stand up for the truth. After all, that's the very foundation of the university in its quest for knowledge (or so it would seem for UIA students and graduates).

Tanteo: Prof Aziz, you have our utmost respect. This Himpun rally - one really wonders whether it is a consequence of the Selangor sultan's edict . I thought a ruler is for all the people, irrespective of race or religion.

1M: Prof Abd Aziz, I'm sorry you have to face such tough and unreasonable action, but as an ordinary rakyat of Chinese descent, I salute you and thank you for speaking our hearts.

We are not against the monarchy if this is what Malaysians in general want, but they are not faultless, and they should not be immune from rakyat's criticism if this country wants to progress.

Aziz Kader: Why law experts cannot make their comments? Umno, prove that Aziz is wrong instead of using the police.

Cala: In the spirit of seeking the truth, I see UIA law lecturer Abdul Aziz is doing something expected of him as a responsible academician. Why do I say that?

A long time ago, Socrates argued that not every man is the same. Acquisition of knowledge depends on a man's ability as he may come from any of the four categories:

i) the lowest level is akin to a man chained in the cave and his view is constrained by what he sees;

ii) at the next level, he develops senses and that helps him to shape his views;

iii) at the third level, he has access to the world outside the cave, wherein he learns maths and science like any one of us; and

iv) at the highest level, he learns the truth.

Obviously to Abdul Aziz, all knowledge must be based on sound reasoning. To accept everything from traditional sources such as monarchs and churches (as in the West) is being regressive. Indeed, Abdul Aziz is an honourable man.

Jedi_Who: Public institutions are being corrupted by the government. Bullying and destroying anyone who doesn't agree with their ideology is just as bad as communism. Today it is Aziz Bari, tomorrow it might be one of us.

Onyourtoes: This has nothing to do with reason, nothing to do logic, nothing to do with rationale, nothing to do with legality, and nothing to do with principles. It is the exercise of raw power - raw like what the primitive cavemen did.

How our country has reached this stage, I think is no longer important. We are already there. So all right-minded citizens, we must really do something quick to steer this country away from spinning into an odyssey of no return.

We only have limited time left. Pakatan Rakyat must tap into Aziz Bari's expertise and commitment to the constitution - offer him a seat to contest in the next election should anything happen to him in his employment.

Manjit Bhatia: Senator Ezam Mohd Noor epitomises outright stupidity and cowardliness, using the institution of state terror to reign on Aziz Bari for nothing more than the latter's right to voice a professional academic opinion as provided under the constitution and PM Najib Razak's promise that he's a democrat and Malaysia is a democracy.

We have always known there has never been academic freedom in Malaysian universities, even if Malaysian universities are a pathetic joke in terms of their academic standards.

The relevance of Malaysia's royalty should be debated by the public. The precedent for this was set by none other than Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Yet Ezam has not the guts to question Mahathir's ‘loyalty' to the sultans. Has he?

Kgen: There is something very wrong with this country. Even if you speak the truth on the law and the constitution, you can get charged with sedition but racists like Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali can spew all kinds of racial venom with no fear.

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