Saifuddin quits UM post in solidarity with UMcedel director

Former deputy higher education minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah today resigned as a senior research fellow from Universiti Malaya (UM).

His resignation came off as a 'protest' to a forced dismissal of Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Redzuan Othman, director of the varsity’s Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMcedel).

“On the principle of academic freedom and solidarity, I resign as UM senior research fellow today. This is in relation Prof Redzuan’s case,” he said on Twitter today, in reference to a report by Malaysian Insider citing that the professor was forced to resign due to political pressure.

“Due to instructions from certain quarters in the Education Ministry, he was asked to resign as director of UMcedel.

“However, he chooses not to publicise it. His tenure as dean was also discontinued today even though he was nominated by the lecturers of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FSSS).”

It was reported that Mohamad Redzuan was dismissed for conducting surveys and polls on Malaysian politics that has placed the ruling government in a bad light.

In an exclusive interview on Astro AWANI in May, the academician hinted that his tenure as FSSS dean is shortlived due to mounting pressure set by certain quarters -- linking him as proxy to the opposition camp.

In his defence, Mohd Redzuan squashed allegations and reiterated that all UMcedel researches were carried out in an independent and professional manner that was based on people's voices.

One survey which was said to have irked the ruling government was conducted during the run-up to the 2013 general election suggesting the public were more in favour of Pakatan Rakyat’s than to the one presented by Barisan Nasional.