BERSATU ‘WAYANG KULIT’?: QUIT NOW, MUHYIDDIN ORDERS MASZLEE OVER IIUM – BUT LEAVES UMNO MAN WAHID’S APPOINTMENT AS UKM CHAIR UNTOUCHED

EDUCATION Minister Maszlee Malik should resign immediately as International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) president as the cabinet and Bersatu have decided that his position there is no longer tenable, said Muhyiddin Yassin.

“I think a very clear decision has been made by the cabinet and I think he has responded by saying that he thinks he needs more time,” the home minister told reporters in Putrajaya today. 

“I would rather advise that he should resign as soon as possible.   And in the meantime, you should just find a suitable guy to take over because there is a firm decision by the party (Bersatu) and the government. So, I think Dr Mazlee should know about it,” said the Bersatu president. 

On the appointment of Abdul Wahid Omar as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia board of directors’ chairman by Mazlee, Muhyiddin said: “I do not know the decision by Mazlee, whether he made any consultation with the prime minister.

“I’m not too sure about that so I would not be able to comment much more. I leave it at that.”

Maszlee has come under fire from Bersatu member A. Kadir Jasin, who said the education minister should not have appointed Wahid as he was not on good terms with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Malaysian Insight reported that Mazlee is on the lookout for candidates to replace him after receiving flak from student unions, civil society and Pakatan Harapan leaders, said a highly placed source.

“Maszlee has been looking at a few people and wants to find the right replacement,” said the source.

“The candidate must have strong integrity, interest in furthering academia and most of all the interest of the university at heart.”

Maszlee is to consult IIUM’s constitutional head, Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang, over the replacement.

It was reported that the sultan of Pahang had appointed Maszlee as IIUM president.

Although IIUM staff, management committee and students welcomed the move, his appointment was heavily criticised as it went against the PH manifesto, which promised to restore academic freedom at institutions of higher education.

Some PH leaders also advised the former IIUM political science lecturer to relinquish the post.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT