Vice-chancellor’s speech taken out of context, says UTeM

Vice-chancellor’s speech taken out of context, says UTeM

PETALING JAYA: A speech by the vice-chancellor of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, who had allegedly shared inappropriate advice, had been taken out of context, the university said today.

The university claimed that a YouTube video clip of Massila Kamalrudin’s speech had been edited and did not reflect the message in its entirety.

Massila was alleged to have told students to keep their romantic liaisons with academic staff private. A now-removed video showed Massila telling a crowd of university staff and students that “if you want to flirt, even with the dean, do it outside (of the campus)”.

However, the university said Massila had been advising students to mind their conduct and avoid immoral behaviour, and her advice had been well-received by the students.

The university criticised what it described as a negative news report about her speech, saying it was not true, and denied what it called a defamatory statement which smeared the image and reputation of UTeM’s management.

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“It was probably initiated by an individual or group dissatisfied with a UTeM circular which makes it mandatory for academicians to write indexed journals every year,” the university said in a statement.

Earlier today, the Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak) urged Massila to step down because of the speech.

The university, in defending Massila, listed some achievements under her leadership, such as UTeM being named Malaysia’s Best TVET University, while Massila herself was named Malaysia’s Outstanding Personality at the Malaysia Education & TVET Awards, and also given a lifetime achievement award for distinguished women leaders in conjunction with the 2024 World Women Economic & Business Summit.