What Maszlee’s Critics Don’t Understand

A Missing Dimension in the Storm

The current protests in the name of academic freedom suffer from a lack of clear thinking on the part of Maszlee’s critics, the irony being that it is the same problem we find in the thousands of university graduates produced over the last two or three decades.

Maszlee’s Critics’ Flawed Argument

Maszlee’s critics, from both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the opposition, argue that a government official – let alone an education minister – should not hold any position of power in a university.

They say it undermines “academic freedom”, the kind of mantras invoked by PH in its list of promises that sent it on a surprise trip to Putrajaya in May.

A Different Perspective

Really? Does putting Maszlee there – a rookie politician who is probably taking pains to prove that he is the best education minister Malaysia has had in recent times – create problems for a university that has been seeing a decline over the last two decades, not unlike the many others that have mushroomed and been named after past leaders or even GLCs?

The Opportunity for Evaluation

When an education minister himself heads a university, it gives us the best opportunity to evaluate not only his commitment to academic freedom, but also his ability to show how a tertiary institution in Malaysia should be.

A New Era of Opportunity

And that should have been Maszlee’s defence, instead of arguing that it saves cost or expedites efforts to get funding, or is a return to IIUM’s traditions of having a government official as its president.

The Possibilities

Perhaps now that he is in charge, Maszlee can finally unlock some mysteries behind the establishment of a university that prides itself on being “international” and “Islamic”.

He could, for example, show that “international” is not only about having many nationalities staying on the same campus, but about how the concept can be translated into our thoughts and culture, including a recognition of the rich diversity of Islamic traditions and schools of thought.

He could, for example, show that “Islamic” is not about making it compulsory for female students and lecturers to cover their hair, or having campus signboards in a Middle Eastern language, but about emulating the methodology of knowledge pioneered by those professing that religion, reconciling with modern demands and realities, cleansing it of all the cosmetics that it gathered as it was dragged into the debris of past Muslim glory.

A Brighter Future

Maszlee could also increase the non-Muslim student and academic population of IIUM, even allowing them to have their own places of worship on campus, because an Islamic university should reflect the realities of Muslim societies, not be a false Muslim nirvana dreamt up by misguided scholars.

A Call to Action

All this Maszlee can do, but only if he is at the helm. And if he succeeds, then good for him, good for IIUM and good for the country’s tertiary education.

A Conclusion

Fans of academic freedom, including the bunch of hungry kids protesting outside the education ministry, should welcome Maszlee as IIUM president. It will be a challenge for Maszlee to give meaning to the three magic words of “international”, “Islamic” and even “university”.

FAQs

Q: What is the main argument of Maszlee’s critics?

A: They argue that a government official, especially an education minister, should not hold any position of power in a university, as it undermines “academic freedom”.

Q: What is the alternative perspective?

A: Putting Maszlee as the president of IIUM can be an opportunity to evaluate his commitment to academic freedom and his ability to show how a tertiary institution in Malaysia should be.

Q: What are the possibilities under Maszlee’s leadership?

A: He can unlock the mysteries behind the establishment of IIUM, promote international and Islamic values, and increase the non-Muslim student and academic population of the university.

Q: What is the future of IIUM under Maszlee’s leadership?

A: It will be a challenge, but if successful, it will be a brighter future for IIUM and the country’s tertiary education.