University Malaya vice-chancellor Prof Dr Hashim Yaacob cannot be in the dark over the allegations of mark tampering and favouritism as the academic staff had repeatedly flicked on the light switch over the matter.

Yesterday, Hashim told malaysiakini that he was unaware of the allegations raised by economics lecturer Assoc Prof Edmund Terrence Gomez.

In a press statement today, the university's academic staff association (PKAUM) expressed surprise over the remark.

It also demanded an apology from him for insinuating that Gomez, who is the association's vice-president, was a liar.

"PKAUM is surprised to hear that the VC denied knowledge of Gomez's charges," said its president Rosli H Mahat.

"(We) would like to state categorically that these two serious issues have been repeatedly brought to the attention of the VC," he added.

As for the allegation of mark tampering, Rosli said concerned lecturers had written to the VC on numerous occasions asking him to intervene in the process.

He said PKAUM could prove this by providing copies of these letters.

Irregularities found in promotions

On favouritism in the promotion exercise of academic staff, he claimed that a committee of inquiry was established at the Faculty of Acts and Science in 2003 to investigate this.

"The committee found evidence of irregularities and recommended the establishment of a board of enquiry to undertake a detailed investigation of promotion exercises in UM. The report was submitted to the VC in April 2004 but no action has been taken since on the matter.

"PKAUM is deeply perturbed to hear that even though the university management is aware of these two issues, the VC has seen it fit to publicly deny any knowledge of these allegations," he said.

Rosli said evidence of this is available in the form of minutes of the 'Departmental Joint Council' meetings between UM's top management and the union.

These charges are said to have been repeatedly raised over the past two years.

After claiming to be in the dark over the allegations, the vice chancellor had also cautioned those who made 'untrue' claims.

Gomez had made the allegations in an interview with malaysiakini recently. The economist had a run-in with the university when it rejected his application for secondment to take up a research position with a United Nations agency based in Geneva. He then resigned but the government then intervened and allowed his application for the secondment.

Meanwhile, Gomez, who was supposed to have left for Europe earlier this week, had to postpone the trip as his son is ill.