Prof P Ramasamy was about to give one of his final lectures to his students. His last class - political economy - was last Thursday.

Nevertheless, he looked relaxed in his surprisingly uncluttered office on the fifth floor of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Centre for History, Political Science and Strategic Studies.

"I've moved most of my books back to my house," he said.

Ramasamy, who has been with the university for 25 years, is ready to move out - and move on.