Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Zohadie Bardaie who was embroiled in an alleged dispute with Higher Education Minister Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh has resigned from the university.

Utusan Malaysia reported yesterday that he has tendered his resignation letter to the Higher Education Ministry secretary-general Dr Zulkefli A Hassan a few days ago.

Zohadie who was expected to go on leave yesterday declined to comment on the reason of his resignation.

"I will only comment in my office on Dec 30," he said in the report.

Controversial poem

The ministry also declined to comment on the resignation of the vice-chancellor who was appointed to the post in 2001.

Rumours have been rife since May that Zohadie would be forced to leave the job when he had allegedly ridiculed the minister in a controversial poem he had recited and a memorandum he submitted to the Higher Education Ministry.

The memorandum was about the university's objection to transfer the Aerospace Engineering programme from UPM to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.