SHAH ALAM, 30 June: The immediate firing of Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Redzuan as the Director for the Universiti Malaya’s Center for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) is disappointing and unwarranted.
The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said that this move intends to sends a chilling message to all academicians that their freedom ends when UMNO’s popularity begins.
He said that swift reckoning will be brought to bear to those who espouse any views or opinions that appear to be critical of UMNO let alone in favour of the opposition.
“In this terror reign, freedom to criticise is absolute as long as the targets are leaders of the Pakatan or those groups critical of UMNO-BN.
“This was the fate that befell a renowned economist Prof Jomo KS, political scientist Prof Dr. P. Ramasamy and constitutional law expert Dr Aziz Bari not too long ago,” he said in a statement today.
Previously, The Malaysian Insider reported that the tenure of Prof Mohamad Radzuan as the UM Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was not renewed.
The move allegedly was made by the university out of pressure from the Ministry of Education following dissatisfaction of Putrajaya against several political surveys carried out by UMCEDEL.
In relation to that, Anwar warned the Federal Government that the move is in in violation of academic freedom and betrays the expectations of the people.
“I would like remind the Minister of Education, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Dato Seri Idris Jusoh that their powers of appointment and dismissal are not absolute.
“This latest action is not just a violation of academic freedom but a betrayal of the people’s expectations for the enhancement of standards and rankings of our institutions of higher learning. It is obvious that this decision not to renew Professor Redzuan’s tenure as the Director of UMCedel is just a backhanded way of sacking him for his courageous stand in carrying out his work without fear or favour.
NS
