KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for the establishment of the Dr Syed Husin Ali Chair at any faculty of Universiti Malaya (UM) to delve deeper into the scholar’s intellectual contributions.
Anwar said he has asked Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir to swiftly move forward with the proposal, pending the approval of the late Prof Syed Husin’s family.
“The Chair shouldn’t merely focus on Syed Husin as an individual but should serve as a platform to examine the depth of his thoughts on various critical issues, such as poverty and people’s history, that often run counter to mainstream narratives.
“He wasn’t just a scholar limited to a specific field. His intellect was vast and diverse. The Syed Husin Chair would fail if we restrict it to a narrow focus. It must engage with broader themes — the people, Malaysia, humanity and championing (justice),” he said.
The prime minister said this in his speech at a ceremony held at UM’s Institute of Research Management and Services here today in honour of Syed Husin’s legacy and contributions.
The late Syed Husin, who was also former Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president, died aged 87 on June 29 after a battle with cancer.
A close friend and long-time comrade of Anwar, Syed Husin was involved in numerous elections and was a senior figure who played a significant role in shaping the nation's political landscape.
He also served as a lecturer and professor at UM, where he specialised in social sciences.
During the ceremony, Anwar also announced a RM200,000 grant to the Malaysian Social Science Association to support research and analysis of Syed Husin’s published works.
“To fund dedicated studies on his writings and research, which can be overseen by the association, I am announcing a RM200,000 grant for this purpose, which I will approve next week.
“He was unwavering in his stance on governance and the welfare of the people, particularly regarding poverty. Many of his works addressed these crucial issues,” Anwar said.
— Bernama
