Universities free to invite scholars, says Zambry

Higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said he maintains his position that universities need not ask for the ministry’s approval for any invitation to scholars.

PETALING JAYA: Universities are not required to seek government approval for inviting scholars, higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said today in the wake of Universiti Malaya cancelling programmes involving a controversial American professor.

Zambry told FMT: “I maintain my position that universities need not ask for the ministry’s approval for any invitation. But close scrutiny must be made on the real scholarship of any person from overseas invited to speak and to be a visiting scholar.”

On Tuesday, Zambry had ordered the immediate cancellation of all programmes and activities involving Bruce Gilley, a political science professor from Portland State University, who had claimed in a keynote address at UM that Malaysia was pushing for a “second Holocaust against the Jewish people”.

Gilley had been scheduled to give three talks at UM as a visiting professor. He had also posted similar comments on X but deleted them and expressed regret for “the harm caused to my academic colleagues”.

UM has apologised for the controversial statements Gilley made.

However, socio-political commentator Tajuddin Rasdi, a professor at UCSI University, said there was no need for the university to apologise as it is common practice in academia to invite controversial figures for discourse.

He also said no restrictions should be placed on the practice as it impinges on academic freedom.