Condemning the action against Universiti Malaya professor Mohamad Redzuan Othman, a PKR leader has urged the government to heed the Perak sultan’s call for university autonomy.

According to Mansor (left) , Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah had precisely spoken against political interference during a convocation ceremony of Kolej Universiti Islam Sultan Azlan Shah (Kuisas) recently.

Sultan Nazrin had said: “Intellectual autonomy is important for an institution of higher learning to be top ranked and free from any influence of partisan politics”.

Sharing his views with fellow vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar, Mansor said that such actions against academics for political reasons only turns Malaysian universities into “ kangkung ” farms.

“Universiti Malaya (UM) must defend itself as the avenue for knowledge…don’t make the term ‘ kangkung professor’ be the mainstay in this place which is supposed to be the home of knowledge,” he said.

The term ‘ kangkung professor’ refers to academics with little intellectual credentials. The word kangkung refers to the ubiquitous water spinach, which grows indiscriminately.

Calling for Redzuan reinstatement, Nurul Izzah (right) said this also shows the government has not taken stock of the fact that Malaysia did not make it to the Times Higher Education list of top 400 universities in the world.

Anwar: Chilling effect on academia

Redzuan, who also leads the Universiti Malaya Centre for Election and Democracy Studies and was named Dean of the Year in 2012, was told to resign as Umcedel’s findings rarely sided with the BN.

Redzuan (left) was, however, once lauded by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for a Umcedel survey which favoured the ruling coalition.

Meanwhile, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said that Redzuan’s sacking sends a “chilling” message to academics that their tenure is not secure.

“Swift reckoning will be brought to bear to those who espouse any views or opinions that appear to be critical of UMNO let alone in favour of the opposition...

“This was the fate that befell a reknown economist Jomo KS, political scientist P Ramasamy, constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari not too long ago and today we see it happening to Professor Redzuan who has proven to have performed his academic tasks in a most professional manner in a research area that demands complete objectivity and independence," Anwar (below) said in a statement. 

Besides the academics mentioned, student group Gerakan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (Gamis) said that students too are also denied intellectual and academic freedom.

Its president Abdul Malik Ab Razak said that this include the cancellation of on campus forum, the charging of scores students under the University and University Colleges Act in the past two years.

 

“Gamis urges the government and university administration to free campuses from the grips of political parties.

“We will continue to break down these walls that serve to perpetuate stupidity on campus,” he vowed.

 

Similarly, PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat urged Universiti Malaya to say no to the sacking so as to safeguard its reputation. 

He also urged the academic community to stand up against any political interference for the sake of their own credibilities.

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