PETALING JAYA: An International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) public lecture featuring political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda has been cancelled.
The university said the lecture, titled “Asia’s Heroes and Villains: A Study of Leadership”, was scheduled for Tuesday at the university’s International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (Istac).
“We regret to inform you that the public lecture featuring Abdul Razak Baginda has been cancelled.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and highly appreciate your kind understanding,” IIUM said in a Facebook post.
The cancellation comes after IIUM’s academic staff association raised concerns about the event and the choice of Razak, who had been found civilly liable by the courts in connection with the death of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Razak, together with the government and two former policemen, was found jointly and severally liable for Altantuya’s unlawful killing in 2006.
IIUM’s academic staff association (ASA) had proposed several measures if the university decided to proceed with the lecture, including inviting a co-speaker or discussant to provide an additional or contrasting perspective on leadership.
“Given the sensitivity involved and the lecture’s theme of leadership and accountability, we believe the event would benefit from a more balanced platform,” the association said.
The association also suggested that the moderator be allowed to raise questions on leadership and accountability directly relevant to Razak’s public history, in keeping with the principles of open academic inquiry.
The ASA said such measures would strengthen the academic integrity of the event, promote critical engagement among students, and protect the university’s reputation for balanced discourse.
It also called on IIUM to establish a vetting protocol for selecting speakers in future to prevent unnecessary controversies that could affect the university’s reputation.
