Review contracts awarded to Syed Mokhtar, PAS tells Putrajaya

Putrajaya should review the contracts awarded to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary following the closure of the Albukhary International University (AIU) in Kedah, PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar (pic) said.

"The closure of the university is not in accordance with the Private Institutions of Higher Learning Act," Mahfuz said.

"Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law, the ministry must take action even though AIU belongs to Syed Mokhtar.

"Putrajaya should also review the contracts which have been awarded to Syed Mokhtar because he has neglected his corporate social responsibility by closing down AIU."

Speaking to reporters at a press conference at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today, Mahfuz also said six AIU students who have filed a suit against the institution for failing to give written notice of closure had been warned they faced disciplinary action.

The six are Mohd Raimy Fahmy Mohd Radzi, Muhamad Hanif Ahmad Fauzi, Hanif Hafifi Mahali, Mohamad Hanif Kamaruddin, Muhammad Syafiq Abd Shamad and Farhan Sani Safiyuddin.

"I was informed that the letter of closure was only received by the Education Ministry in March. Moreover, there is no approval letter from the ministry for the closure," Mahfuz said.

Last week, The Malaysian Insider reported that the university was on the verge of closing down, either temporarily or for good, after operating for four years.

A spokesperson at the university said the first batch of 230 students, out of a total of 600, were transferred to a university in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

The spokesperson said the closure was due to several factors, including student dissatisfaction with the programmes and management issues, but denied that financial woes were among them.

Staff and students at the full-scholarship university have endured uncertainty over the past few months with speculation that the university was going to cease operations because of financial problems and would be sold.

It was reported in February this year that the academic staff had been informed that the campus may be closed and they should start looking for new jobs. – April 16, 2014.