Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah today advised the Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIM) rector to retract the controversial suspension of law professor Abdul Aziz Bari.

NONE Malaysiakini sighted his text message to Zaleha Kamaruddin in which he described the suspension as "detrimental".

"Whatever (the reasons for the action), it is still morally and intellectually wrong (as) Aziz has not been found guilty.

"I hope you withdraw the suspension and not take action against the students who demonstrated against the suspension yesterday," he said.

When contacted, the deputy minister ( right ) confirmed the veracity of the SMS.

"Yes, the (SMS) is mine. I sent it to her this morning," he said. 

In the message to the rector, Saifuddin said that he has seen the show-cause letter sent to Aziz and felt that the section invoked in the letter was not used properly.

“Sound discretion was not exercised through the use of section 15(1). Has this been detrimental? Please, we are a university. The consequence of the suspension is detrimental,” he said.

While respecting the autonomy of the university in the matter, Saifuddin said his view was that the university should realise its role in today's society.

“Is it an internal matter? Yes, but the university is part of society in this era of the new media. No regulations were breached? But are the regulations out of date and in need of review?

“Has it also not breached the law? Including the federal constitution that provides for freedom of speech?” he asked. 

On Thursday UIA not only suspended Aziz from his lecturing duties but also revoked his access to UIA for comments made over the Selangor sultan's recent decree on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church controversy.

He had described the decree as "unusual" and "inconsistent", stating that any such royal intervention must abide by the principles of Islam.

'Rector contradictory'

When contacted today, Aziz said that Zaleha's public statements in the past few days have been “conflicting and contradictory” to the university’s show-cause letter.

“I was shocked when reading what she had said this morning. She was reported by the media to say that my suspension is for seven days (from Oct 19 to 25).

zaleha kamaruddin uia rector “But the letter states that I have to respond to the show cause letter on Oct 25, and that the suspension is indefinite,” he told Malaysiakini .

The media had quoted Zaleha ( right ) saying making the statement at a press conference yesterday, justifying the university's decision to suspend the academic pending investigation.

Aziz also refuted the rector's claim that he was never restricted from entering the UIA campus.

“The letter specifically states that I will need permission from the dean to enter the faculty,” he said, adding that UIA had also copied the letter to the university’s security department.

The law professor added that by varying the terms and conditions of the action taken against him, the university is also jeopardising their legal position.

“They cannot just change the terms without informing me,” he said.

'Watershed moment'

Aziz also lamented that Zaleha’s comments are also “defamatory” to him, as it implies that he has been making untruthful statements in the media about the university.

NONE His lawyer Zulqarnain Lukman in an email to Malaysiakini said the show cause letter states the following:

"Kindly take note that pending the completion of the university's investigation into the above allegation and the outcome of any inquiry which the university may wish to conduct, you shall be suspended from service on full pay with immediate effect, until further notice.

"Please be reminded that during the period of your suspension, you are not authorised to enter the premises of the University without the express written permission of the dean, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyah of Laws (UIA’s law faculty).

"You are further neither authorised to conduct any transactions on behalf of the university nor contact staff of the university or business associates of the university without the express written permission of the Dean, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyah of Laws."

Meanwhile Aziz, when asked on the student protests ( left ) and the slew of support received from colleagues from the academic and legal fraternity as well as from politicians, said the response has been “touching”.

“I feel encouraged. I believe this is a watershed moment, where an academic's suspension has erupted in protests,” he said.

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