A group of Indian-based non-governmental organisations want the government to immediately intervene and solve the controversies surrounding the problematic Indian Studies Department (ISD) of University Malaya.
A meeting was held this morning to discuss on the ways to save the department which has a long cultural attachment to the Indian community.
Some 60 people participated in the briefing today and various suggestions were mooted on how to overcome the present set of problems besieging the department.
While memorandums and meetings were agreed as the first phase of action, the participants did not rule out holding a peaceful assembly to press their case.
The main aim of the group today was to ensure that the department remained as it was in University Malaya and not absorbed into a newly formed department.
Secondly, they also want the department to be headed by someone from within the department and not an outsider as is the case now.
And finally, they want the department to be cleared of any hanky-panky, including the instances of giving out easy marks.
The ISD is seen as a vital body for the continuation of Tamil education in Malaysia.
In recent weeks the department has been mired in controversy after the university appointed a non-Indian as its head of department following an acrimonious split among the staff members in the department.
UM vice-chancellor Ghauth Jasmon has been reported in the media to justify the appointment on the grounds of internal squabbles for the position of department head.
Seeking a meeting with the PM
Spokesperson for the group which met this morning, K Arumugam (above) said that they would first submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin on the issue. The memorandum is expected to be handed in on Aug 21.
These representatives are also hoping to have a meeting with both the leaders on this issue.
The memorandum is jointly authored by K Arumugam and S Nagarajan of Tamil Foundation (left).
During the briefing session, Arumugam highlighted some of the issues pertaining to the department.
He claimed that there had been irregularities over marking of a PhD thesis, believed to be a staff member's.
He also said that there had been a lenient approach taken by the some of the staff members in marking the papers of the students, resulting in a large number of unqualified first class holders.
Arumugam also objected to the decision by the UM to change the name of the department to South Asian Studies Department.
If that happens, the long-established Indian Studies Department will just be a part of the larger new department.
Malaysia Indru editor Jiwi Kathiah, who was present at the briefing, said that the move to close the ISD was a first step towards realising the one language policy which was mooted - but dropped subsequently - during the Razak administration.
A meeting was held this morning to discuss on the ways to save the department which has a long cultural attachment to the Indian community.
Some 60 people participated in the briefing today and various suggestions were mooted on how to overcome the present set of problems besieging the department.
While memorandums and meetings were agreed as the first phase of action, the participants did not rule out holding a peaceful assembly to press their case.
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Secondly, they also want the department to be headed by someone from within the department and not an outsider as is the case now.
And finally, they want the department to be cleared of any hanky-panky, including the instances of giving out easy marks.
The ISD is seen as a vital body for the continuation of Tamil education in Malaysia.
In recent weeks the department has been mired in controversy after the university appointed a non-Indian as its head of department following an acrimonious split among the staff members in the department.
UM vice-chancellor Ghauth Jasmon has been reported in the media to justify the appointment on the grounds of internal squabbles for the position of department head.
Seeking a meeting with the PM
Spokesperson for the group which met this morning, K Arumugam (above) said that they would first submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin on the issue. The memorandum is expected to be handed in on Aug 21.
These representatives are also hoping to have a meeting with both the leaders on this issue.
"We would also be having a meeting where we'll submit a memorandum to University Malaya's vice-chancellor (Professor Ghauth Jasmon) on Aug 24th," added Arumugam.
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During the briefing session, Arumugam highlighted some of the issues pertaining to the department.
He claimed that there had been irregularities over marking of a PhD thesis, believed to be a staff member's.
He also said that there had been a lenient approach taken by the some of the staff members in marking the papers of the students, resulting in a large number of unqualified first class holders.
Arumugam also objected to the decision by the UM to change the name of the department to South Asian Studies Department.
If that happens, the long-established Indian Studies Department will just be a part of the larger new department.
Malaysia Indru editor Jiwi Kathiah, who was present at the briefing, said that the move to close the ISD was a first step towards realising the one language policy which was mooted - but dropped subsequently - during the Razak administration.
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