The Malaysian Insight

SYED Razlan Syed Putra Jamalullail defended his move to order two staff members to go on leave in his capacity as Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) board chairman, saying he was simply following instructions from the Education Ministry.

Describing himself as a victim of circumstances, Syed Razlan said his orders to the two staff members to go on leave pending investigations was on the instruction of the ministry’s governance department.

“The action against the two staff members was based on a letter from the department. I can’t simply take action on my own. I have the letter,” Syed Razlan told The Malaysian Insight.

The decision to shorten Syed Razlan’s contract has caused a major rift in the public university.

On Tuesday, three Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) associations and unions supported his removal on the grounds that he had unjustly ordered two staff members to go on leave.

UPM’s Union of General Staff, Association of Academic Officials and Association of University Administrators in a joint statement said Syed Razlan’s action had unsettled the working environment at the institution.

The statement did not elaborate why Syed Razlan acted against the two senior employees.

The Universiti Putra Malaysia Alumni Association (UPMAA), meanwhile, backed Syed Razlan and demanded an explanation from the Education Ministry and to retract the termination letter.

They also want any new appointment delayed until an investigation into Syed Razlan’s contract termination is carried out.

Syed Razlan’s “sacking” was aimed at protecting wrongdoers in UPM, they said.

UPMAA said Syed Razlan was asked to investigate three senior UPM officers, while a UPM subsidiary also sought an independent forensic audit of the company.

Syed Razlan is puzzled as he was appointed to a three-year period last October. He was given a month’s notice to end the contract effective August 18.

The Education Ministry said Syed Razlan was removed due to “professional considerations and that he will be replaced by former Universiti Malaya vice-chancellor Ghauth Jasmon on August 19.

“I keep asking myself why this has happened. What prompted Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik to take this decision. But I do understand it is the minister’s right to do so,” he said.

Syed Razlan, however, felt the whole episode could have been dealt in a better and professional manner.

“This post is one of integrity and dignity. As such, the termination process should have been done in a more appropriate manner.

“If I had done something wrong, I accept my termination. But what did I do wrong?”

He added that he had tried to meet Maszlee after he was instructed by the ministry to act against the two staff members but was unsuccessful.

“It is so difficult to meet the minister. When I received the complaint letter and instructions (against the two), I wanted to meet the minister but it was not possible.”

Syed Razlan also questioned the ministry’s explanation that Ghauth was appointed as part of its effort to help UPM break into the Top 100 of the world’s best universities within two years.

“The role to improve a university’s ranking is with the vice-chancellor. The role of the board and its chairman is to monitor the management of the university and to ensure it follows proper governance.

“But if the minister wants the board chairman to assume this role as well, it must then be implemented in all universities. I will agree to that,” he said.

In the current QS World University Rankings, UPM is at No. 159.

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2019, UPM is placed in the 801-1,000 band. – August 10, 2019.