UUM: Azly and wife owe us RM1.25 million

From Malaysiakini
UUM: Azly and wife owe us RM1.25 mil
Aug 3, 07 4:58pm

Refusing to ink the Surat Akujanji (loyalty pledge for civil servants) was not the only reason why academic Dr Azly Rahman and his wife Dr Mutiara Mohamad were sacked, according to Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

In a hard hitting press statement today, UUM claimed that the couple also owed the university RM1.25 million in compensation.

It claimed that Azly (left), who is also a malaysiakini columnist, and his wife were granted permission by the university to further their PhD studies in Colombia University, USA, for three years beginning from 1997. UUM said it covered all expenses, including their monthly salaries, for that period.

It said the couple had also asked for extensions on four occasions to complete their studies, and this was granted with their monthly salaries paid and their expenses financed by the university despite being absent from duty.

“The funds provided to Azly and his wife by UUM would of course have legal and contractual processes and when the couple was asked to return to their duties on Oct 31, 2003, they did not return," said the university.

Treated with trust

UUM claimed that Azly and his wife were treated with privilege and trust and when the couple refused to return, the university finally said “enough.” The matter was then brought to the disciplinary committee for deliberation and it was decided that the couple should be sacked.

“Following a year after they had failed to pay the compensation, UUM via the legal firm Bahador Omar & Co sent them a legal notice on July 23, 2007. “Don’t Azly and Mutiara feel sorry for their guarantors Mohamad Salim and Ahmad Azmi Ariffin who are now forced to settle the money,” said UUM.

UUM then lambasted Azly, who is currently still based in the US, for concealing this fact from his articles and focusing on the Akujanji issue alone. “Only is he not grateful to UUM for all that the university has done for him, Azly also chooses to tarnish the reputation of the university around the world

“He is also willing to insult all academics in Malaysia and the government of Malaysia simply because the academics sign the Akujanji,” it said, adding that this is why the university had resorted to legal means. UUM had recently sent another legal notice to Azly via law firm Azam Aziz & Co demanding for a public apology and to stop writing articles that tarnish UUM.

However, the academic has refused to do so.