MALAYSIA, JOHOR BAHRU, June 17, 2025 – Former Education Minister Dr. Maszlee Malik expressed disbelief after his keynote address on innovation through the lens of ‘Ihsan,’ a pillar of the MADANI framework, at a public university (IPTA) in Johor was cancelled. The cancellation was due to a ruling by local religious authorities that he lacked the necessary ‘tauliah’ (credential) to teach religious matters in the state.
Dr. Maszlee, also the former Simpang Renggam MP, questioned when discussions on innovation and the MADANI framework became classified as religious lectures.
“Since when does an IPTA require a religious teaching credential to host an academic discourse, especially on the government’s MADANI agenda?” he asked.
Clarifying his stance, Dr. Maszlee noted that he has consistently declined invitations to deliver religious talks or participate in mosque-based forums, as these are not his areas of interest or expertise. He emphasized that his focus is on academic discussions, particularly in English or Arabic, and only within academic settings. “Religious discourse is the domain of religious scholars, not mine. I left that space long ago,” he said.
The cancellation raised concerns for Dr. Maszlee about the autonomy of universities. He argued that academic spaces should remain distinct from political and religious oversight to prevent overreach by religious authorities into areas beyond their expertise. “This is new to me. Perhaps we need a clear separation between academic, political, and religious spheres,” he suggested.
Drawing a comparison, Dr. Maszlee recounted his experiences delivering academic talks at globally renowned institutions like Oxford, University of Tehran, Durham, Georgetown, and Tsinghua University, where no religious authorities intervened to block his presentations. “No one questioned my lack of religious credentials at these leading universities,” he remarked, adding a tongue-in-cheek comment: “Surely, we never fail to entertain the world with our perfectly subtle imbecility.”
The incident has sparked debate about the boundaries of academic freedom and the role of religious authorities in Malaysia’s higher education institutions.
