PETALING JAYA: Embattled Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) lecturer Prof Dr Abdul Aziz Bari says he has decided to call it quits “in defence of academic freedom”.
Claiming that political interference had undermined this freedom, Dr Abdul Aziz said he did not want his colleagues to be unduly pressured by the powers that be.
“I can feel the subtle pressure exerted to make life difficult for me here (at the campus). I can see in their (the superiors’) body language that I am no longer wanted here.
“So, I’ve decided that it is time to call it a day and move elsewhere where academic freedom prevails,” he claimed.
Dr Abdul Aziz said he was considering the offers that have poured in from other places, adding that he wished to remain in the academic field.
He said this following UIA rector Prof Datuk Seri Dr Zaleha Kamaruddin’s comment that they would leave it to Dr Abdul Aziz to decide if he wished to stay on.
Stressing that the university did not force him to resign, Dr Abdul Aziz said he did not want his colleagues to be in a difficult position because of him.
“I have decided to leave because things have turned from bad to worse,” he said. “The pressure is very subtle. But, only those who have experienced that kind of situation would understand what I am going through,” he claimed.
Dr Abdul Aziz also added that he had responded to the university’s show cause letter more that six weeks ago explaining why action should not be taken against him for allegedly making a detrimental remark.
UIA had earlier issued a show cause letter asking Dr Abdul Aziz to explain his controversial remark over the Sultan of Selangor’s comment on a church raid, among others. He had since explained why.
“But until today, the university did not get back to me on the matter,” said Dr Abdul Aziz.
Asked if he would change his mind if UIA requested him to stay on, Dr Abdul Aziz said: “I can’t comment on that. We’ll cross the bridge when we reach it.”
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