Confirmed: Indian Studies Department downgraded

University Malaya vice chancellor Ghauth Jasmon confirmed the Indian Studies Department (ISD) will be now known as the Indian and South Asian Studies Department.

The announcement was in stark contrast to assurances by Ghauth just days ago that the department will be preserved in its original form and its name maintained.

"We will maintain the programmes but the name change is to give the department wider scope," said Ghauth (right).

The ISD was established in 1956 under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in University Malaya.

A controversy arose when department head S Kumaran, who retired, was replaced with Mohd Raduan Ariff, the first man not of Indian origin to head the department.

Subsequently there was another uproar in the community when word leaked out that ISD is to be replaced with a South Asian Studies Department.

Programmes to go on

Current Arts and Social Sciences Faculty dean, Redzuan Othman, said there would be no change in the programmes as there are many students studying in the ISD.

He also said the academic staff of the ISD and two lecturers - Jatswan Singh Sidhu and Azharuddin Mohamed Dali met in July to discuss ways to improve and expand the ISD.

Jatswan is a lecturer at the International & Strategic Studies Department specialising in South Asia while Azharuddin's expertise is in South Asian history.

Ghauth said Mohd Raduan Ariff of Southeast Asian Studies Department, the acting head of ISD, has been given three months to resolve issues involving academic staff.

He said they are looking for a suitable candidate to head the new department and that the process could take some time.

When asked on the possible negative backlash from the public over the formation of the new department, Ghauth said that he was ready to face his critics.

"I'm prepared to face the consequences. I do not think there will be any serious consequences," was his parting shot.

Taken from Malaysiakini

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/111535


seals: Is this not an insult to Malaysian Indians? I will see this as a strategic move to break the department and its studies and the research into what they will call as "South Asian Studies". This will surely break up the direction to maintain the "Indian Studies". I can see this is the clear direction and strategy for this change and replacing the head. I feel insulted and ignored.

What happen to MIC who are suppose to take this up? Should the Indians turn to HINDRAF? I can see this as another attempt to kill the culture after they fail to change the Guru Besar of Tamil schools.

UM ISD delivered many success towards Indians in Malaysia, one of it is SMC (Sri Murugan Center).

Are we gonna be a sitting duck again? Will not MIC make their demands and set it right and replace the HOD?


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Comments

Anonymous said…
i'll blame all d indian lecturers in d department. they start al d havoc. MIC- no comment.shows dat they are no more in power wit 1minister n 2 deputy minister! Ask uncle SAM endorse more candidate 4 MIC election to champion his own strategy rather than focus on indians problems. About PR i tinks indian gonna teach them a lesson in PRU-13! Indians become SPEECHLESS in each n every problem regarding d community. if can PROF Ramasamy should do sumtin.no one else qualified to handle issue rather thn him as i see he his d only indian PROF in politic.
10:17 am
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