EDUCATION Minister Maszlee Malik is on the lookout for a candidate to replace him as the next International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) president after receiving flak from student unions, civil society and Pakatan Harapan leaders, said a highly placed source.

The source told The Malaysian Insight that Maszlee has been looking at a few candidates although he has been silent about it.

“Maszlee has been looking at a few people and wants to find the right replacement. The candidate must have strong integrity, interest in furthering academia and most of all the interest of the university at heart,” the source said.

The process, however, will take some time as Maszlee has to consult IIUM’s constitutional head, Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang, he added. It was reported that the sultan of Pahang had appointed Maszlee as IIUM president.

“There’s a certain process in picking the next IIUM chair and the minister wants to follow it through.”

The source said Maszlee wants to focus on education reforms and leave IIUM to a qualified and respectable person that can continue his reforms.

“He’s aware that there’s much to be done in education and giving up IIUM means he has more time to focus on reforming the educational system.”

Maszlee, said the source, hopes to wrap things up by early next year.

The former IIUM lecturer had come under pressure over his appointment as the seventh president of the university.

Although, IIUM staff, management committee and students had welcomed the move, his appointment was heavily criticised as it went against the Pakatan Harapan manifesto, which promised to restore academic freedom at institutions of higher education.

The Malaysian Insight had also reported that some Pakatan Harapan leaders had similarly advised the former IIUM political science lecturer to relinquish the post.

Maszlee also came under fire from veteran newsman A. Kadir Jasin after the education minister had appointed Abdul Wahid Omar as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia board of directors chairman.

He said Maszlee should have not appointed Wahid as he was not on good terms with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. – November 9, 2018.