UM APOLOGISES FOR CONTROVERSY CREATED BY US ACADEMIC

PETALING JAYA: Universiti Malaya (UM) has apologised for the controversial statements made by a US academic while delivering a recent talk at the university.

Bruce Gilley, a political science professor at Portland State University, purportedly claimed in his talk on Tuesday that Malaysia was pushing for a “second Holocaust against the Jewish people”.

In a post on X, Gilley also said that Malaysia “will never be a serious player in world affairs, and will certainly never be a friend or partner of the US”.

In a statement, UM said it regretted Gilley’s statements as they disregarded public sentiments, adding that it was improving its procedures and guidelines to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.

It also said it would tighten its background checks on individuals or parties involved in UM programmes, including assessing their social media profiles for potential risks.

“UM takes a serious view of this matter and extends its apologies to all parties,” it said.

“A comprehensive report on this issue is being prepared, and strict action will be taken against those found to be involved.

“UM will continue to support the government’s stance against any ties with Israel, and fully supports efforts to recognise Palestine as a legitimate independent state.”

It also said it had cancelled all programmes and activities involving Gilley in line with an order from higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Gilley’s post on X, which was viewed more than a million times, was flooded with criticism by social media users before its removal.

Those who commented on the post included former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah, who called on the foreign ministry and UM to provide more details about the talk.

Muda acting president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz said Gilley’s post was “absolutely misleading and unacceptable”, adding that his statements falsely depicted Malaysia’s support for an independent Palestinian state.

Gilley himself expressed regret for the harm caused by the post and said he had left the country after fears for his safety caused by an “Islamo-fascist mob whipped up by the government there”.

In its statement, UM condemned Gilley’s claim on the safety aspects of travelling to Malaysia.

“This is an irresponsible and extreme statement that has sparked outrage among all Malaysians,” it said.

2024-04-25T05:25:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd