The Higher Education Ministry has been slammed for pressuring Universiti Malaya for hosting a forum on controversial book Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times .

PKR Youth vice-chief Amirudin Shari said the ministry's demand for UM to submit a report on forum was a form of intimidation which impedes academic freedom.

pkr weeklly pc 090807 amirudin shari "By ordering a comprehensive report on the forum, Khaled is infringing academic freedom, which is very important to ensure quality education," said Amirudin in a statement today.

Amirudin (left) was responding to news reports of High Education Minister Khaled Nordin claiming that the forum was inappropriate, alleging that it was aimed at destroying former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's credibility.

A Bernama report said that certain speakers used the forum as a platform to "attack Mahathir, Umno and Malays".

Amirudin said that Khaled's concerns were unsubstantiated and absurd.

"It shows that they are trying to cover the truth (and allegations) raised in the book," said Khaled.

The forum which was organised by UM's Social Behavior and Science Research Cluster to discuss the book, authored by former Wall Street Journal editor Barry Wain.

The book was withheld by the Home Ministry for five months before giving it the greenlight.