I HAD the privilege of attending a lecture by Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University at Universiti Malaya in early January this year.
His candid critique of US economic and foreign policies was both striking and inspiring.
Remarkably, his criticisms were delivered without hindrance and were even appreciated.
Our nation’s highest leaders, the prime minister and higher education minister, were present to listen to his insights.
Ironically, in Malaysia, the academic freedom of our local scholars is still curtailed by Act 605.
The developments at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the continued existence of legislation that can be used against critical voices within academia should be taken seriously by the academic community and academic unions nationwide.
We cannot allow academic freedom – a cornerstone of the intellectual tradition – to be so easily stifled.
Academic freedom must be preserved, defended and enshrined in law.
In this context, it is crucial to remember that every Oct 5, Malaysia celebrates Academia Day, an annual reminder to appreciate the contributions and struggles of academics worldwide.
On this significant day, stakeholders such as the government, higher education institutions and academic unions should redouble their efforts to uphold and promote the principle of academic freedom.
Academia Day is not merely a celebration of knowledge but a reminder to ensure that the rights of academics continue to be respected and protected.
As public servants are paid with taxpayers’ money, the views of academics should be publicly accessible to the people.
The public has a right to hear their criticisms, research findings and direct commentaries on policies and decisions that affect the nation.
In today’s post-modern era, social media serves as a platform for both local and international academics to constructively express their views on national policies.
If these voices are silenced, all that remains is content that does not contribute to the nation’s development, such as shallow entertainment or sensational issues of no value.
Academics do not merely engage in idle chatter; they share research findings funded by public grants, using validated research instruments to critique and improve existing systems.
For instance, academics are among the critical voices that are actively voicing concerns about the state of the country’s education system based on the findings of their research, using the CIPP (Context, Input, Process and Product) model of curriculum evaluation.
Academics are specifically trained to think critically and analytically, and they are accountable for whatever they produce as my PhD supervisor once reminded me, “Question everything, even the accepted wisdom.”
If this critical thinking is stifled, it is a waste of public funds that finance the higher education of these scholars.
Returning to Sachs’ lecture, our nation will not be able to produce scholars of his calibre if the mouths and hands of our academics are tied by restrictive laws and regulations.
Therefore, academic freedom should be enshrined in stronger laws, such as amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act.
Certainly other academics and I welcome the statement by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, who supports the amendment of Act 605, and we are aware that this amendment effort has gone through important processes as initiated by former education minister Dr Maszlee Malik. Therefore, it should not take long to implement.
This is important so that there are no more circulars or instructions from higher education institutions that attempt to silence legitimate dissent.
If local academics are prevented from voicing their opinions and criticisms for the good of the nation, then there is no point in talking about efforts to educate the people.
Without academic freedom, we will not be able to produce academic figures of the calibre of Sachs, Professor Joseph Stiglitz or Professor Noam Chomsky, who dare to go against the grain and champion the truth.
Freedom of expression for academics is the cornerstone of a nation’s intellectual and moral development.
If we want this country to produce outstanding scholars, we must loosen the bonds of restrictive regulations.
Only with true academic freedom can we ensure that the nation’s intellectual future continues to grow and be competitive on the international stage.
The writer is a senior lecturer at the Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
