A LONG-RUNNING feud between Sarawak and the Education Ministry over a former associate professor is said to be the root cause of the upheaval in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s (Unimas) board of directors.

The sudden termination of Unimas chairman Sulong Matjeraie’s service on December 20 last year was over Andrew Aeria, a former member of the university’s social sciences faculty, said two academics, one of whom is from Unimas.

Aeria, from Penang, specialises in political science and development studies. He is often quoted by the press as a political scientist.

His inclinations are seen as pro-Pakatan Harapan and Sarawak has taken a dim view of his analyses.

“It is a poorly kept secret. Everyone in the university knows he is PH-friendly,” said the Unimas source.

In an interview with a news portal before the 2011 state elections, Aeria accused Sarawak of employing the “politics of scaremongering”.

He also questioned why the state government, then under Barisan Nasional, was demonising peninsula-based parties.

In a bid to get him out of Unimas, said the sources, the state government requested that the Higher Education Ministry transfer Aeria to an institution in the peninsula. Under the BN administration, the education portfolio was divided into two, with higher education as a separate ministry.

One of the sources said when this request was not acted on, the state government revoked Aeria’s work permit in the hope that the ministry would transfer him out.

That never happened, and Aeria remained with Unimas – but was not allowed to teach – until his retirement about two years ago.

“If the state government thought they had seen the last of Aeria, they were in for a shock,” said the two academics, who requested anonymity because they know Aeria personally and are still active in academia.

Aeria was reportedly recommended by “PH friends” to the Education Ministry to be appointed to the Unimas board because of his experience.

The recommendation did not go down well and Sulong, at the behest of the state government, challenged the appointment.

Sulong’s opposition was seen as a challenge against the Education Ministry, and then minister Maszlee Malik took issue with it, said the sources.

“That’s the reason his (Sulong’s) contract was shortened. He refused to let Aeria serve on the board by challenging the minister.”

The Unimas source said the episode is seen as “PH flexing its muscles at GPS”, referring to Gabungan Parti Sarawak, the coalition that runs the state government. Education matters in Sarawak, however, remain under federal purview.

“With Aeria on the board, it was suddenly not easy for the board, the chairman and the vice-chancellor (Mohamad Kadim Suaidi).

“When he was appointed, it was like a slap to the face for the management.”

Sulong, a former Federal Court judge, still had 15 months on his contract when his service was ended. He was replaced by prominent economist Kamal Mat Salih, chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research.

Kamal, whose term was to start on January 1, abruptly tendered his resignation on Monday, saying it was pointless for him to take up the post as Sarawak had made known its displeasure over his appointment.

On Friday, the state government said it was unhappy with Sulong’s termination of service and that it was never consulted on Kamal’s appointment.

Sarawak will seek clarification from Putrajaya on why the usual practice of consulting the state government was not followed, it added.

Both Sulong, who was appointed as Unimas chairman on May 1, 2018, and Aeria did not answer calls and WhatsApp messages seeking their comments. – January 8, 2020.