Ministers hit out at US academic’s safety claim

 

Zambry Abdul Kadir (left) and Khaled Nordin took US political science professor Bruce Gilley to task for saying that Malaysia ‘is not a safe country to travel to now’.

PETALING JAYA: Two ministers have hit out at a US academic after he claimed that it was no longer safe to travel to the country.

Higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, who had earlier ordered for all of political science professor Bruce Gilley’s programmes to be immediately cancelled, said it was time to rethink his stance.

“Basking in the heavenly bliss of Malaysia, untouched by unrest, threats, or bigotry. Yet, now questioning its safety?” Zambry said on X.

“Perhaps a rethink on your judgment is overdue.”

Zambry was likely referring to Gilley’s earlier posts on the micro-blogging platform where he shared pictures of his visit to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park and a train ride.

Meanwhile, defence minister Khaled Nordin said in a text to FMT: “If it’s not safe then why did he come?”

Gilley had said this morning he had left Malaysia because of safety concerns caused by an “Islamo-fascist mob whipped up by the government there”.

“This is not a safe country to travel to now,” he said in a post on X.

A US travel advisory for Malaysia, which remains at level 1 – the lowest out of four – disproved his claim.

Gilley had stirred controversy yesterday after purportedly claiming that Malaysia was pushing for a “second Holocaust against the Jewish people” during a talk at Universiti Malaya. - FMT