Top academic Dr Edmund Terence Gomez, who had to quit Universiti Malaya (UM) after his application for a two-year secondment was rejected, was dealt another blow by the university management today.

His wife, Dr Sharmani Patricia Gabriel - also an academic staff at the university - who had applied for unpaid two-year leave so that the whole family could join Gomez in Geneva for his two-year posting at a United Nations agency, had also been turned down.

"The manner in which my application for secondment was rejected and my wife was told that her application for unpaid leave would not be supported, to my mind, suggests a serious case of victimisation and abuse of power by the university authorities," he said in a letter to the editor emailed to malaysiakini today.

He chastised the university's management for failing to handle his application for the secondment in a "rational and just manner", and "is now acting callously to prevent my family from joining me in Geneva".

A university's secondment is a leave of absence for an indefinite period, which is normally granted especially for activities that will bring honour to the institution.

Gomez, an associate professor of political economy at UM's Faculty of Economics and Administration, was denied a two-year leave of a secondment to take up the prestigious research appointment at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) to pioneer a global research on racial conflict.

The denial of leave by the university management resulted in Gomez having to tender his resignation early this month.

In an interview with malaysiakini on Tuesday, the world renowned academic said he was quitting the university where he had taught for more than 10 years with a 'heavy heart' .

No support from department head

According to Gomez, his wife - a lecturer at the Department of English in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science - had applied last Friday to the head of the department for two years' unpaid leave from January next year.

"This application for leave, as my wife had explained in her letter, was that she and our three children would be able to join me in Geneva," he said.

However, two days ago his wife received a written response from the department head indicating that her application would be rejected.

The letter stated: "I must emphasise to you that I will not support your application for unpaid leave. We will expect you to resume your duties in Semester 2, 2005/2006."

Gomez said that his wife, who is currently on a nine-month sabbatical, is scheduled to return to UM on Dec 26.

"The reason cited by the head of department for this decision was that some staff members were retiring, resigning or going on sabbatical," he said.

Gomez said it is customary for the university management to discuss with the lecturer concerned should there be a problem with the leave application to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.

He said according to the university's regulations, a lecturer is allowed to apply for unpaid leave for a period of up to three years to accompany a spouse on an overseas posting to ensure that families can remain together.

"I am deeply disappointed with the unprofessional, non-consultative, high-handed and autocratic behaviour of the university authorities," he said.

Pak Lah, please help

The rejection of Sharmani's application effectively means that Gomez's family would be unable to join him in Geneva.

Gomez called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Higher Education Minister Dr Shafie Salleh to review the issue 'to ensure that my application for secondment to UNRISD is given a fair and compassionate hearing'.

The university had earlier said that it decided not to release Gomez for secondment to the post at UNRISD due to the "exigency of his services to the university."

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, in an immediate reaction, said he was shocked to hear the university's refusal to grant leave to Sharmani.

"The latest Universiti Malaya administrative action smacks of being petty and vindictive, reckless of the interests of the university and Malaysia's international reputation and global competitiveness," he said.

He described UM's action as "cutting off the nose to spite the face".

Several attempts by malaysiakini to contact the head of UM's English Department, Dr Agnes Yeow Swee Kim, for comments on the matter have been unsuccessful.

In addition, UM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Hashim Yaacob could not be reached today.