Too Controversial? IIUM Calls Off Razak Baginda Leadership Lecture
The university cancelled the planned leadership lecture following criticism over Abdul Razak Baginda’s legal history and his civil liability in the Altantuya case.
- IIUM cancelled a public lecture by Abdul Razak Baginda following concerns raised by its Academic Staff Association over his legal history.
- The ASA cited Razak's connection to the Altantuya murder case as conflicting with the lecture's theme of leadership and accountability.
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International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has cancelled a planned public lecture featuring former political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda following growing scrutiny over his scheduled appearance.
The lecture, titled “Asia’s Heroes and Villains: A Study in Leadership,” was scheduled to be held tomorrow at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM) in Kuala Lumpur.
In a post on its official Facebook page, IIUM announced the cancellation and apologised for any inconvenience caused by the decision.
Those who had registered to attend the event were also notified of its cancellation via email.
The move came after the university’s Academic Staff Association (ASA) raised concerns over Razak’s participation, citing his legal history in connection with the death of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
“Given the sensitivity of this history and the lecture’s own theme of leadership and accountability, we believe the event would benefit from a more balanced platform,” ASA said in a statement.
READ MORE: ISTAC Lecture Featuring Abdul Razak Baginda Draws Pushback, Including From IIUM Staff
Abdul Razak is a Malaysian political analyst and former executive director of the Malaysia Strategic Research Centre who has been closely associated with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
He became a prominent figure in the high-profile 2006 murder case involving Altantuya, whose remains were destroyed using explosives in Shah Alam.
Abdul Razak was charged with abetting Altantuya’s murder, while former police officers Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar were prosecuted for carrying out the killing.
He had previously acknowledged being in a relationship with Altantuya between November 2004 and August 2005.
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