Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
KUCHING: The government should reinstate former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Sulong Matjeraie as the chairman of the Board of Directors of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), suggested Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Describing Sulong as gentle, nice and a jovial person, Abdul Karim said, in the first place, there has been no disciplinary action or character issue as ground to shorten his tenure of service.
He pointed out that Sulong should be allowed to complete his tenure and only when his term expires could the appointment authority, in this case the Ministry of Education, either extend his tenure or replace him.
“He has, as a Sarawakian, attained the highest post as a judge, being a Federal Court judge. And then he performed pretty well as the Unimas chairman.
Therefore, I was totally surprised when his service was terminated abruptly or half way with more than a year (to go),” he told the press at his office in Masja, Petra Jaya here yesterday.
Sulong was supposed to be replaced by economist and former Wangsa Maju MP Tan Sri Dr Kamal Mat Salih last month but it is understood that his tenure of service only expires in April next year.
After a week of his appointment, Kamal rejected the appointment following the state government’s dissenting voice, more so when the state government said they should have been consulted first about it.
Abdul Karim said he saluted Kamal for withdrawing from his post.
“He resigned when he (Kamal) came to know there was some dissent or voices from the state government.
“It is not an issue that the person appointed must always be a Sarawakian but he (Sulong) is a nice and capable person. So why not let him complete his term?”
Hoping that the federal government reinstate Sulong as Unimas Board chairman, Abdul Karim said: “He is not somebody we heard taking drugs or something like what we have been hearing for the last one week.”
“Normally the state is to be consulted. For certain important positions where the appointment authority is the federal government, like the posts of Police Commissioner or directors, all this while there was always consultation.
“I hope we preserve that kind of relationship, one which has been going on for a long time. Even though we are from different sides of the bench, there are certain things where conventions precede all others,” he said.
“And just because we (state) are in the opposition, we should not discard conventions,” he added.
“There is nothing wrong (too) with Dr Kamal but is Sulong a bad man? I put my hat off to Dr Kamal for being able to see (things) which the minister (former Education Minister Dr Mazslee Malik) who appointed him (Dr Kamal) was unable to see,” he pointed out.
“Unfortunately he (Mazslee) has already resigned. That is a case when a young person is appointed minister,” he said.