A GROUP of academics gave the thumbs-up to former International Islamic University of Malaysia academic, Maszlee Malik, amidst brouhaha over his recent appointment as education minister in the Mahathir administration.

The appointment, however, sparked a controversy among concerned Malaysians because of Maszlee’s supposed defence of Indian preacher Zakir Naik some time ago and his alleged inclination towards Salafist Islam.

Associate professor Faisal S. Hazis of UKM’s Institute of Malaysian and International Studies said that Maszlee’s appointment was a breath of fresh air for Malaysian politics, since he was young, new, and a commoner, not from an established political family dynasty.

“He should not be judged by his religiosity, but by his reform agendas. As much as we criticise people who question Lim Guan Eng’s ethnicity as the finance minister, we should also reprimand those who question Maszlee’s religiosity,” Faisal said.

Lending his support to Maszlee’s appointment, Zaharom Nain of Nottingham University Malaysia Campus said: “It’s an insult to Maszlee – or anyone for that matter – to suggest that he can’t act rationally in collaboration with others. Just as we need to be wary of Islamofascists, we also need to be critical of Islamophobes.”

Lee Hwok Aun, senior fellow at Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute of Singapore, said that Maszlee was a teacher and scholar who had firsthand knowledge of the rigours and problems of Malaysia’s higher institutions.

“He is thoughtful, analytical, and passionate about education, and has declared that teaching and core academic work should take precedence over administrative toil,” Lee said.

“He potentially brings relevant experience and fresh perspectives, and deserves the chance to bring about positive and constructive change to Malaysia’s education system.”

Khoo Ying Hooi, a senior lecturer at University of Malaya, said it was a positive development to have someone from an academic background helming the education ministry, because it was an extremely important portfolio that would help build the strong educational foundation the nation needs.

Azmil Mohd Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia’s School of Social Sciences said: “Being a university lecturer who has toiled in the education system for many years, I am sure he has seen more than his fair share of the problems that afflict Malaysian students. Now he is well-placed to address those problems.”

Anthropologist Lye Tuck Po of USM’s School of Social Sciences said that based on Maszlee’s scholarly credentials, he seemed like a sound choice.

“He’ll need a lot of support internally, in a notoriously conservative ministry, and externally by civil society,” Lye said. – May 20, 2018.