Having been told that its research is “too political” by a minister yesterday, Universiti Malaya Centre of Democracy and Elections (Umcedel) is now dismissed by yet another cabinet member that its findings were “no big deal”.

Chiming in on the uproar over alleged political pressure on Umcedel chief Mohamad Redzuan Othman, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (left) said Putrajaya hardly even gave it a thought.

“While we respect academic research, Umcedel's study was just one of many analyses done. No big deal for us and nothing to respond to.

“So whatever happened to Professor Redzuan, it was not 'Putrajaya's interference'. It didn't even merit any consideration on government's part,” Khairy said on Twitter.

He also said that the government “has never taken offence” to any of Umcedel's findings, nor was it “irked”.

According to Khairy, the issues with Umcedel's methodology also do not warrant much consideration.

"Umcedel produces polls. Big deal. Some are positive, some are negative. That's all. No plans to interfere and remove anyone."

Just a hobby

This comes after Housing Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan took to Twitter to accuse Redzuan and the Umcedel of bias and shoddy methodology.

Rahman ridiculed the work as just a “hobby” of doing surveys, and said the political nature of the questions went beyond the realms of academia.

However, he stressed that the request for Redzuan (right) to resign as Umcedel chief was not political interference.

Redzuan's tenure as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Malaysia's oldest university was also not renewed upon expiration yesterday.

According to UM, this was due to the election process and had nothing to do with political interference.

However, Redzuan stressed that the interference was not in his position as dean but in Umcedel.

Former higher education deputy minister Saifuddin Abdullah also quit his position as Umcedel research fellow due to the purported pressure on Redzuan to resign.

Bersih calls for   Redzuan's reinstatement

 

Meanwhile, Bersih, in a statement today, called on the Education ministry to reinstate Redzuan.

 

The election watchdog condemned the ministry's alleged interference that resulted in Redzuan's resignation from Umcedel.

 

It said it was an attempt to stifle freedom of expression and a severe infringement of academic freedom, which forms the foundation for the principles of academia.

 

“Lecturers must have the freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts (including those that are critical of political parties, groups or institutions), and scholars must have the freedom to question and speak their minds without repression," it contended.

 

Bersih also asserted the ministry's action amounted to the suppression of a healthy debate on clean and fair elections. 

 

It said Malaysians should value the contribution made by Redzuan and Umcedel's surveys and also congratulated Saifuddin for his principled action in resigning as a senior research fellow.

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