I refer to the Malaysiakini report Axed UM VC: I had to live with nonsense .

Perception is whenever there is a new appointment; it’s as though a new trainer is sent to the stables to whip the horses into line, as a result it starts and ends in confrontation - what does one expect from an antagonistic, rude approach?

I, like most, was disappointed with Rafiah Salim because of her pandering to political interference. She should have spoken up when speaking out mattered most - hence the price she has paid. I would agree many of us were frustrated with her though she was the only vice-chancellor ‘person’ who made some serious efforts.

She had appeared aggressive in rooting out some of the loafers that weigh down the university and trampled on student rights and morale. This unlike the former VCs who showed little regard for scientific and academic excellence research and/or procedures.

These former VCs appointed to high positions anyone who was willing to terrorise independent minds and schooled our students as if they were children just out of kindergarten, the same behaviour they attempted to apply towards lecturers and staff deem non-compliant.

Those years were traumatic for the university yet politicians wasted no time, repeatedly ignoring numerous complaints even from its ‘friendlies’ that harboured some genuine concerns. All one had to do was shake their waist and sing along and his/her future was assured despite their pitiful academic performance which usually was the case. Some went on to be tutors, others accorded Slab/Slai facilities, virtual short-cuts, if you ask me into the academic profession.

You will not be surprised why politicians send their children and relations overseas to continue their education. Who would want their kids to waste four years under lecturers too busy to complete simple regular assignments or a thumb drive tutor with zero appreciation for hard copy work and a sporadic appearance most of the semester?

Indeed, Rafiah spared us this ugly period in our history and partially plugged the sinking hole but plugging the hole wasn’t enough; you simply can’t please two masters hence Rafiah stalled and she is now disparaged and sent off without a word of gratitude from our political masters – which seems to be the norm in this country.

I’d conclude that, Rafiah was never really given a chance, contrary to what she believed when she first accepted her posting at UM; when she was all pepped up and swinging. At the look of things now, one can ask who benefitred during Rafiah’s term and should we place any hope as she departs us.

With the new appointment, I expect to see an exodus for Prof Dr Ghauth Jasmon will be too busy on all fronts especially his political bosses who are far removed and at best ill-advised and who only want to hear praises that would render Ghauth incapable of bearing fruit.

The question here will Ghauth be willing to weed out the spongers touting party cards loafing and squatting in the university, recognising the underpaid un-represented lecturers/academia who have been constantly falling under the hammer of unjust blame and stopping the PTK’s primary school antics which have demoralised academia?

Not forgetting a bureaucracy void of academic appreciation yet engrossed with jealousy.

Ghauth’s ministerial mission to lift the university’s ratings stressing on ISI journals borders on unambiguity and he is likened to a horse restricted with blinkers sent out to win the Belmont Derby.

Ghauth Jasmon must first genuinely seek meaningful dialogue with UM’s academia before any ‘I know what’s best’ approach otherwise he’ll be seeing an exodus unprecedented in UM’s history which will not necessarily be a physical exodus but a silent surrender from care and concern - something that no amount of force or confrontation could squeeze from a person.

Over the past years, the relationship between UM’s administration and academia have always teetered on confrontation partly due to the administration catering to political aspirations which has been the actual cause of declining standards.

All our universities at the moment need a strong uncompromising demarcation for research and teaching with a human resource base complementing and reciprocating every step of our development discoveries and dissemination processes if we are to place our national universities at world standards.

In all of the industrialised countries, industry and academia operate independently yet complement each other in the benefit of research teaching and subsequent development.

In Malaysia, lecturers are tasked with teaching but also burdened with demands for dedicated research. It goes without saying; inventors aren’t necessarily scientists. We need dedicated researchers that will share some teaching responsibility though not much of it.

Where there is no heart in education, there can be no progress and it is high time UN’s academia and administration work in harmony for the future of our youth and country and bring to an end the current culture of loggerheads and confrontation - an atmosphere posioned by our political environment which is sweeping the nation under, that is, if it hasn’t already.

In academia, there can be no approach to success without respect due recognition and lots of encouragement dialogue and sincerity and therein lays professionalism.

Ghauth should take note that politicians are of the worst, disrespectful, ungrateful and self-centred creations that will shake your hands but have no qualms about snatching away one’s birthright simply to make a meaningless point or to save his/her sorry hide.

Take heed! Your loyalty, your success, your person means nothing to our politicians Prof Dr Ghauth Jasmon - not in today’s Malaysia.