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Urgent email to Abdullah to intervene in Terence Gomez case to allow him to  take up UN research appointment on two-year secondment from University of Malaya as well as two-year no-pay leave for his wife Sharmani Gabrie

Media Statement (2)

by Lim Kit Siang

(Parliament, Saturday): I have today sent an urgent email to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, urging him to immediately intervene in the Terence Gomez controversy in the University of Malaya to enable Dr. Gomez to take up the prestigious research appointment at    the United Nations Research Institute for
Social Development (UNRISD) in Geneva on a two-year secondment from University of Malaya as well as two-year unpaid leave for  his wife, Dr Sharmani Patricia Gabriel also of University of Malaya  so that the family of five including three children could  be together in Geneva.

I informed the Prime Minister that the parliamentary roundtable of MPs, academicians and NGOs in Parliament  yesterday  appealed for his quick intervention to ensure an  "all-win" solution to the country's reputation and international competitiveness, University of Malaya and Dr. Gomez.

I described the Terence Gomez controversy as of “ very urgent pressing nature”, as it  has given Malaysia an international "black eye" as well as undermining the Prime Minister’s repeated call for excellence, international competitiveness, world-class universities and towering Malaysians.

In my email, I also asked for a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss other urgent issues, including:

  • two parliamentary   motions which I have submitted for the June meeting of Parliament beginning on June 20,  on
    (i)     Police Royal Commission Report;
    (ii)    20-month Report Card on Abdullah’s  premiership;
     

  • Malaysia’s  shocking plunge in world competitiveness, falling an unprecedented  12 places to 28th position from 16th position last year  in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005 and  losing out for the first time in international competitiveness ranking  to Thailand; and

  • Lack  of progress in parliamentary reform and modernization to turn the Malaysian Parliament into a First-World Parliament.
     

(28/05/2005)      

                                                          

*  Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, MP for Ipoh Timur & DAP Central Policy and Strategic Planning Commission Chairman