UIA out to embarrass me, says Aziz Bari

Constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari claims Universiti Islam Antarabangsa’s (UIA) public announcement today that his ‘professor’ title will be dropped is an attempt to embarrass him.

“I feel ashamed and saddened by UIA’s attitude, it is apparent that it is being made a tool of others,” he said in a statement toMalaysiakini.

He said that UIA’s comments showed it was ignorant of the relationship between the ‘professor’ title and knowledge.

“The fact is many retired professors, even though they are not given the ‘emeritus’ title, are still addressed as ‘professor’ because people are confident of and respect their knowledge.

“Many professors have retired from UIA, not one has been attacked by UIA like I am being attacked now. Is UIA following Umno’s agenda?” he asked, adding that no university has ever made such a public announcement.

“UIA can withdraw my title but it cannot take my knowledge, my expertise will remain with me,” he said.

He added that he had never requested for the position of professor.

“Unlike others, I did not apply for professorship but I was asked by UIA at the end of 2002, to apply for the position,” he said.

Abdul Aziz, who will leave UIA tomorrow, was responding to Utusan Malaysia’s report today on UIA’s announcement that his ‘professor’ title will be dropped.

The report was in response to a letter to the Umno-owned daily, questioning Abdul Aziz's recognition as a constitutional law expert.

“The unofficial title of ‘constitutional law expert’ was given by the media including Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian and other Umno-owned media but after 2008, they became uneasy and Utusanbegan to question the title,” said Abdul Aziz.

PKR declares Aziz Bari as its candidate

UIA’s statement today comes shortly after Abdul Aziz Bari was declared by PKR as its candidate in the next general election.

“Last Thursday, (PKR supremo) Anwar Ibrahim announced me as a candidate for the Sabak Bernam parliamentary seat at the Sabak Bernam mini-stadium before a crowd of 6,000,” he said.

He added that UIA’s statement would only draw attention to other controversial professors and will reflect badly on them.

“There are those who created problems but their titles were not withdrawn, for example the professor who said Malaysia was never colonised... or the professor who said Hang Tuah never existed.”