UNIVERSITI Putra Malaysia (UPM) board chairman Syed Razlan Syed Putra Jalalullail’s early termination is aimed at protecting wrongdoers, according to the UPM Alumni Association (UPMAA).

UPMAA president Raihan Sharif said there was a huge possibility that Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s decision to end Syed Razlan’s tenure was due to poor advice.

“This has caused the minister to make an incorrect decision and we are convinced that there is a plot to cover up for wrongdoers in UPM,” said Raihan Sharif in a statement today.

Prior to his termination, Raihan said, the Ministry of Education (MOE) had asked Syed Razlan to investigate three senior UPM officers.

Following that, one of UPM’s subsidiaries had similarly asked Syed Razlan to conduct an independent audit of the company.

“The subsidiary’s board of directors had asked for a forensic audit, which is now being carried out,” said Raihan.

Connected to this, Raihan said, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) also carried out a surprise raid on the subsidiary and had retrieved several important documents.

However, before the audit could be finalised, Maszlee decided to terminate Syed Razlan’s appointment after just 10 months and replace him with former Universiti Malaya vice chancellor Ghauth Jasmon effective August 17.

In a statement yesterday, the ministry said Syed Razlan was removed due to “professional considerations”.

It said Ghauth was appointed as part of its effort to help UPM break into the top 100 world’s best universities within two years, the ministry said in a statement today.

“The ministry is of the view that he is the best person to lead this effort based on his reputation in having managed university administrations previously, especially his success as UM vice-chancellor,” it said in a statement.

The ministry statement came two days after a The Malaysian Insight report that Syed Razlan was removed just as he began investigating allegations of misconduct within UPM management.

Syed Razlan, who was appointed as UPM board chairman last October for a three-year period, was issued a termination letter dated July 17, signed by Education Minister Maszlee Malik.

The ministry’s statement did not address the investigations.

Syed Razlan also did not speak to The Malaysian Insight about the investigation, except to say that he had been “following orders from the Higher Education Department based on a report I received in April”.

Raihan said Maszlee’s actions of terminating Syed Razlan’s tenure without any clear reason has given the impression that the latter is incompetent or has committed a mistake so grave that it warrants immediate termination.

“Any ending of tenure should be carried out in a dignified process.

“Syed Razlan’s termination does not reflect the new government’s philosophy that is based on the rule of law and transparency,” said Raihan.

“As such, we protest the minister’s decision and we want him to rescind it until the internal audit and the MACC investigations have concluded.” – August 5, 2019.