Former Perlis mufti and prominent scholar Asri Zainul Abidin has turned his face in shame in light of the suspension of constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari by Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA). In a hard-hitting statement today, Asri, who is an associate professor in theology, said the suspension was both “embarrassing” and “uncivilised”.
Worse still, Asri said, the action of the UIA administration was an act of “brown-nosing” and a step into the “Catholic dark ages”.
“The actions taken against (Abdul) Aziz are something that embarrass our academic world (which) have no basis in knowledge, as in this world each person has the right to speak based on facts.
“The action taken is an act of brown-nosing...which hurls Malaysia into the Catholic dark ages where Protestant academicians were burnt at the take and accused of treachery and heresy,” he said.
Asri(left), who is currently serving a fellowship in Oxford University, England, also raised concern that the suspension involved a “conflict of interest” as UIA rector Zaleha Kamaruddin is a member of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais).
“As a UIA graduate, I feel that a grave mistake has been made... the university is a world class institution, but has turned into a narrow-minded religious department,” he said, cuttingly.
Mais oversees the actions of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais). It's search in a Petaling Jaya church hall on Aug 3 was the subject of the decree by the Selangor sultan.
Abdul Aziz is under fire for comments made on the decree, which UIA said “went against the university's interests”.
UIA hung Aziz out to dry
Meanwhile, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, also a UIA alumnus, said his alma mater's decision to suspend the respected law professor makes it unworthy of being called a centre of learning.
“PKR Youth does not wish to meddle in the administration of UIA. On the contrary, the question is why there is suppression of academic freedom, which ultimately relates to the freedom of thought of lecturers who are responsible for teaching their students?
“If this happens, then the disappointing level of quality of graduates in the market should be of no surprise, as the credibility of their lecturers are in tatters due to the limited space accorded them to engage in the areas of their expertise and knowledge,” Shamsul said in a statement.
Echoing him, Selangor exco member Elizabeth Wong said UIA's decision to hang its academic staff to dry, when under attack for voicing sound views, was "very disappointing".
"As an international institution of higher learning, IIUM should be defending the right of its academicians to voice their opinions and ideas," Wong said.
Encouraging culture of fear
Calling for the withdrawal of Abdul Aziz's suspension from work, she said as an institution of higher learning, UIA should encourage debate for the benefit of society instead of feeding a culture of fear.
"If a respected academician such as (Abdul) Aziz is punished for commenting on a matter related to his expertise, then all academics will be cowed into silence," the PKR-Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, tertiary students have also protested at the treatment accorded to the professor.
In a statement today, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) president Syukri Abd Razab expressed dismay at the university's decision, and called on other students to show solidarity for the lecturer by protesting his suspension.
"SMM will mobilise students on a large scale, from campuses throughout the Klang Valley, to demonstrate at the UIA mosque tomorrow," Syukri said, estimating that the protest would draw over 1,000 youths.
The SMM protest will be followed by one led by PKR Youth after Friday prayers.
Gantung Aziz Bari tindakan UIA paling tidak tamadun, kata Dr Asri
Dr Asri: Gantung Aziz tindakan mengampu
Penyokong lancar FB sokong profesor undang-undang
Melancarkan laman (page) "Kami Bantah Penggantungan Dr Aziz Bari" di laman sosial Facebook, mereka turut menyindir kebebasan akademik di negara ini.
"Kebebasan akademik ala-Malaysia," tulis pentadbir laman itu apabila memuatkan semula pautan berita tentang penggantungan pensyarah undang-undang Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) itu.
Dalam tempoh beberapa jam sahaja dilancarkan, laman Facebook itu disukai (dengan menekan butang like) oleh 602 pelayar (setakat 3.17 petang). 1371 pelayar setakat 4.20 petang -GB
Malaysiakini difahamkan, bukan sahaja diberi surat tunjuk sebab, UIA juga menggantung tugas Aziz sebagai pensyarah undang-undang paling kanan universiti itu sehingga notis selanjutnya dikeluarkan.
Beliau digantung bergaji kerana didakwa "memberikan kenyataan yang bertentangan dengan kepentingan universiti" dan diberi masa sehingga 25 Oktober depan untuk menjawabnya.
Belum ada reaksi UIA
Usaha Malaysiakini mendapat reaksi daripada bahagian perhubungan awam UIA setakat ini masih belum berhasil.
Bagaimanapun, Berita Harian hari ini melaporkan Datuk Prof Zaleha Kamaruddin daripada pejabat rektor mengesahkan surat itu dikeluarkan semalam.
Sementara itu, sebuah lagi laman "10,000 mahasiswa menyokong penuh Profesor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari" juga diluncurkan.
Setakat berita ini ditulis, ia sudah digemari 882 pelajar.
Pencipta kedua-dua laman ini tidak dapat dipastikan setakat ini.
Aziz dalam masa yang sama disiasat polis dan Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia (SKMM) berhubung reaksinya kepada titah Sultan berhubung pemeriksaan Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama (DUMC).
Aziz sebelum ini berkata baginda sebagai ketua agama negeri mempunyai hak campurtangan tetapi ia perlu selaras dengan ajaran Islam.
Selepas dikritik pelbagai pihak, Aziz kemudian menjelaskan Akta Hasutan 1948 memperuntukan tidak menjadi kesalahan mengkritik Raja-Raja Melayu selagi tidak menuntut pemansuhan institusi itu.
Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, SKMM dan pihak polis juga menyoal beberapa kakitangan Malaysiakini, termasuk wartawan dan editornya berhubung isu yang sama.-mk
cheers.
Mudah sangat untuk mempertikaikan atau memperlekehkan UIA kerana tindakannya terhadap Aziz bari. Tidak pula terfikir kenapa UIA buat begitu dan kenapa ianya perlu. Sudah tentu ada asas yang kuat kenapa UIA berbuat begitu. Pun begitu, manusia mudah melatah dan buat keputusan sedangkan orang-orang Islam telahpun diajar supaya tunggu dari buat sebarang keputusan sebelum mendengar dari kedua-dua pihak. Yang pasti, cerita penuh dari UIA belum lagi didengari namun tidak kurang yang sudah menuduh UIA bertindak tidak tepat dan ada pula yang menuduh UIA tidak bertamaddun sebelum mendengar apa yang UIA hendak katakan.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.agendadaily.com/Muka-Hadapan/sendiri-mau-ingat-bila-sultan-selangor-tak-berkenan-orang-politik-masuk-unisel.html
ReplyDeleteSELASA, 09 OGOS 2011 00:12
... Sultan Selangor bertitah lagi, kali ini mengingatkan pihak-pihak berkenaan supaya politik kepartian tidak dicampuradukkan dalam pengajaran di Universiti Selangor (UNISEL) demi masa depan pelajar institusi itu.
Para profesor dan pensyarah perlu menumpukan perhatian sepenuhnya kepada tugas-tugas mereka untuk mengajar dan berhenti daripada berpolitik di kampus kerana ia boleh menjejaskan masa depan pelajar, titah baginda ketika merasmikan Masjid UNISEL Kampus Bestari Jaya Kuala Selangor.
Menurut Baginda amat merugikan sekiranya seseorang pelajar itu membuang masa untuk berpolitik dan tidak menumpukan sepenuh perhatian terhadap akademik.
"Beta tidak berkenan orang-orang politik atau orang luar yang tidak ada kena mengena dengan universiti ini dijemput memberi ceramah politik atau syarahan politik di dalam kawasan Universiti Selangor.
"Universiti ini adalah tempat untuk belajar, berbincang, dan mengembangkan idea mengenai ilmu serta membuat penyelidikan dan eksperimen tentang sesuatu projek atau penemuan yang boleh menaikkan lagi taraf industri di negeri ini, titah Baginda.
Sultan Sharafuddin juga bertitah baginda telah menerima pengaduan daripada ibu bapa yang prihatin mengenai isu berpolitik di UNISEL dan jika ini berterusan, kemungkinan besar ada ibu bapa yang tidak akan menghantar anak-anak mereka untuk melanjutkan pelajaran mereka di universiti ini.