Just when the fuss died down over Universiti Malaya's bungled handling of a leave application by economics lecturer Associate Professor Dr Edmund Terence Gomez, an investigation appears to be underway over 'nitty-gritty' aspects of the issue.

In a letter dated July 12, UM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Hashim Yaacob has asked Academic Staff Association (Umasa) head associate professor Rosli Mahat to prove that Gomez's application had been supported by his dean and department head, as claimed.

Hashim stated that the administrative records do not show any such endorsement of Gomez's application.

"With regard to that, I ask you to provide an explanation and prove (the claim) on behalf of Umasa to enable the university to consider appropriate action," stated the letter, a copy of which was made available to malaysiakini .

This was in reference to Rosli's letter dated May 28, in which he had submitted an official appeal to the university to reconsider its (initial) decision not to approve the leave application.

Gomez was then facing difficulty in obtaining two years' unpaid leave in order to be seconded to the UN Research Institute for Development in Geneva, from June 14.

At the time, he had informed Rosli that his superiors had supported the application, and this was included in Rosli's letter to the UM administration.

When the application was rejected, Gomez resigned. However, on June 10, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi intervened and approved unpaid leave, as well as revoked the resignation letter.

Hashim was out of town and could not be reached for comment today.

'Matter closed'

Reacting to Hashim's letter, Gomez reiterated in an e-mailed statement that the management of the economics and administration faculty had informed him that they would support his application.

"In fact it was Professor Norma (the dean) who had advised me to apply for a secondment to the UN, rather than (for) unpaid leave, as I would then not lose seniority of service in the university," Gomez said.

"I view the vice-chancellor's letter to Rosli as an attempt to intimidate Umasa for bringing to the attention of the public the grave mishandling of my request for leave by UM's senior management."

He also said the letter "brings into question my integrity. as it suggests that I had lied to Umasa when I said that I had the support of my colleagues at the faculty to take up the appointment at the United Nations".

Contacted today, Rosli said, "I am saddened (by this). The matter shouldn't be raised any more since Terence has left. The matter should have been raised before he left.

"Umasa will consider this matter closed. We should not (dig up) the nitty-gritty (aspects) such as whether the head and dean did or did not approve the application."

Rosli said he was not sure of what action the university might take, but that he is "keeping an open mind that disciplinary action could be a possibility".

Gomez noted that the vice-chancellor should direct his powers to serving UM's interests and not to deal with "dissidents" like Rosli and the union.

The union has shown "genuine concern and commitment" in promoting the welfare of the university, he added.