THE brouhaha surrounding the speech made by American academic Bruce Gilley would have made more sense if the professors and students attending the event had countered his offending remarks, Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak) said.
The group said Gilley should have been confronted by the academics so that there was constructive dialogue.
"This is what normally happens at most university seminars around the world. Instead, Gerak is appalled that there was silence from the floor," the group said in a statement.
"The Gilley affair has shown how our academics in our universities continue to be intellectually passive. They were unable to put him in his place, which he deserved.
"This was a good opportunity for our scholars and students to share their ideas and interpretations, and to teach foreigners like Gilley about ethics, and to be mindful of their slipshod scholarship," it said.
Gilley, a political science professor at Portland State University, recently caused controversy when he said in a talk in Universiti Malaya that Malaysia was pushing for a “second Holocaust against the Jewish people”.
Gilley made the remarks in a keynote address entitled “Will Malaysia become an active middle power?” on April 23.
Gerak said the silence from academics at the forum had demonstrated a tendency to worship Euro-American “experts”, and the inability to stand up to a scholar who utters nonsense.
At the same time, the group said politicians should stop trying to de-platform controversial scholars, which would “emasculate” critical thinking.
"It reinforces political interference in higher education, perpetuates mediocrity, and encourages the 'professor kangkung' syndrome in the academy.
"The Gilley affair has showcased our culture of intellectual laziness, a lack of confidence among our academics, and widespread apathy in our universities. This must stop.” – April 30, 2024.
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