Following the uproar over comments made by a pro-Israel academic from the US, former education minister Maszlee Malik said someone from Universiti Malaya must be held responsible.
He also called upon UM’s vice-chancellor to apologise for it.
“Somebody in UM needs to take full responsibility for this.
“How can a pro-Zionist and someone who openly condemns Malaysia with slanders be invited to our most prestigious university?
“VC should be a gentleman, please openly make an apology, and somebody has to resign with honour,” he said on X today.
UM has apologised for the incident and pledged to improve its procedures and guidelines in vetting individuals it works with in the future.
Uproar over remarks
On April 23, the Portland State University’s political science professor accused local politicians of advocating for a second Holocaust against the Jews during a speech at UM.
Gilley made the remarks during his keynote address at a lecture titled “Will Malaysia become an active middle power?”.
In his address, Gilley said a country whose political leaders “advocate a second Holocaust against the Jewish people will never be a serious player in world affairs and will certainly never be a friend or partner of the US.”
Gilley also shared excerpts from his address on his X account. He cited a remark by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu at a rally in October last year that “Israel will soon disappear” as an example of an anti-Jew remark.
Following an uproar over Gilley’s remarks, Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir cancelled all programmes and activities involving Gilley and ordered a probe.
“I have also instructed UM to probe the matter and provide the ministry with details,” he was reported as saying.
Gilley had since left Malaysia, saying: “I have safely departed from Malaysia, one step ahead of the Islamo-fascist mob whipped up by the government there. This is not a safe country to travel to now. Updates to follow.”
Gilley’s comments also courted brickbats from Muda, Amanah, PKR Youth and UM Students’ Union - with the latter referring to the fiasco as “deliberate negligence”.
On that note, Maszlee also pointed out that Gilley was a “visiting professor” at the university.
“Apparently he is a ‘visiting professor’ at the Department of International and Strategic Studies, UM!
“Someone is in deep trouble now!” added the PKR supreme council member. - Mkini
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