Malaysian professor sacked over anti-Hindu study module

A leading Malaysian University has sacked a lecturer responsible for developing a controversial teaching module that disparaged Hindus and Sikhs
triggering outraged among the minority communities in the Muslim-majority country.

The lecture slides from the module of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), which went viral online, had portrayed Hindus in India as "unclean and dirty" and
misrepresented the history of Sikhism.

India had expressed concern over the "negative and incorrect" picture conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism, following which the varsity had also issued an apology.

"We are concerned at negative and incorrect picture being conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism. Hinduism and Sikhism are two great religions which India has given birth to," the High Commission of India in Malaysia said in a statement then.

UTM vice-chancellor Dr Prof Wahid Omar said the lecturer responsible for the controversial slides has been sacked and his 30-day dismissal notice came into effect yesterday.

"He is still at the university as he still needs to serve the one-month notice," he was quoted by Star daily as saying.

Asked why the dismissal was not immediate, Dr Wahid said the procedure had to be done according to the contract, which meant giving the staff a month's notice.

The Higher Education Ministry had viewed the matter seriously and had called for "stringent action".

The slides were part of a university course mandatory for tertiary students.

The university is currently reviewing the course module, which includes appointing experts in Indian, Sikh and Chinese civilisation studies.

Meanwhile, the youth wing of the country's largest ethnic Indian based political party, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) welcomed the sacking of the lecturer.

Youth chief C Sivarraajh said the lecture materials should never have been made in the first place.

"The slides were likely made with an intention to ridicule and downgrade Hinduism and Sikhism," he said in a statement.

Among others, the module claimed that Islam had introduced civility to the lives of the Hindu community in India.

Muslim-majority Malaysia's 28 million population include 60 % Malays who are all Muslims, 25% ethnic Chinese mostly Christians and Buddhists and 8%
ethnic Indians, a majority of whom are Hindus