KUALA LUMPUR - Claiming it was just a proposal which was rushed by UiTM's Institut Pemikiran dan Kepimpinan Melayu (IMPAK), UiTM’s vice chancellor attempted to distance his administration from an award named after UMNO loyalist Ibrahim Ali.
Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar, commenting on the matter which quickly became an internet humour making rounds on blogs and online social media, now claimed that UiTM had never suggested to name any award after the Perkasa chief.
“The proposal came from Datuk Ibrahim Ali himself... I was only asked to bring it to the Senate for a decision,” he wrote on a Facebook page, saying the process to endorse an award was time consuming.
News about the award was first published by news portal Malaysiakini who reported that IMPAK was offering the 'Ibrahim Ali Award' in the form of a cash prize of RM5,000 sponsored by the Perkasa chief.
PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was among those who laughed off the award.
"Those leaders who strove hard to make UiTM well-known and respected would have been more deserving of awards being named after them. Tan Sri Arsyad Ayub, Tan Sri Ani Arope, Dato Ishak Mohamad, Dr Awang Had Salleh, and Tan Sri Ibrahim Abu Shah (former UiTM vice chancelor) will also be smiling to find out that there is an award named after Ibrahim Ali!" he said.
Hinting that IMPAK had jumped the gun by announcing it on its website, Sahol said the varsity was sensitive to current developments and would not offer such an award without approval from its senate.
"I hope this issue will not be blown up,” he added.
“The proposal came from Datuk Ibrahim Ali himself... I was only asked to bring it to the Senate for a decision,” he wrote on a Facebook page, saying the process to endorse an award was time consuming.
News about the award was first published by news portal Malaysiakini who reported that IMPAK was offering the 'Ibrahim Ali Award' in the form of a cash prize of RM5,000 sponsored by the Perkasa chief.
PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was among those who laughed off the award.
"Those leaders who strove hard to make UiTM well-known and respected would have been more deserving of awards being named after them. Tan Sri Arsyad Ayub, Tan Sri Ani Arope, Dato Ishak Mohamad, Dr Awang Had Salleh, and Tan Sri Ibrahim Abu Shah (former UiTM vice chancelor) will also be smiling to find out that there is an award named after Ibrahim Ali!" he said.
Hinting that IMPAK had jumped the gun by announcing it on its website, Sahol said the varsity was sensitive to current developments and would not offer such an award without approval from its senate.
"I hope this issue will not be blown up,” he added.
