KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — A Selangor PKR lawmaker questioned today the International Islamic University Malaysia’s (IIUM) 11th hour cancellation of a debate on moderation, suggesting that it could be due to his involvement as a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party leader.

The lawmaker, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, pointed out the irony of the matter, noting that the programme titled, “Everything in Moderation”, was meant to be a debate on moderation by well-respected individuals, including international academics and even a federal minister, apart from himself.

“When the topic of the debate itself is on moderation, what does IIUM seek to portray with such decision?

“That they do not support the growing call for a moderate Malaysia? That a critical discussion on moderation should not involve all sectors of the community?” the Seri Setia assemblyman asked in a statement here.

Earlier this evening, the British High Commission, which was co-organising the event with the University of Nottingham, announced the decision by venue host IIUM to cancel the debate.

In a brief statement to the media that was also posted on its Facebook page, the commission said that IIUM was “unable to host the event as initially planned”.

After apologising for the inconvenience, it then directed all media queries on the matter to the university.

According to University of Nottingham’s School of Politics, History and International Relations campus head Michael Connors, the event was called off because of Nik Nazmi’s involvement.

Connors told Malaysiakini in an email that IIUM’s “senior management” did not approve of the PKR Youth chief’s role as a panellist in the debate.

A screengrab of the poster for the debate with the word ‘Cancelled’ across it as seen on the British High Commission’s Facebook page.

If Connor’s claim is true, Nik Nazmi said the decision is an embarrassment to the country’s higher education system.

“It also brings great shame to this country,” he added.

The lawmaker also demanded that IIUM president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim and its rector Dr Zaleha Kamaruddin confirm the university’s reason for calling off the event and said both should apologise for the last-minute decision.

He said that Datuk Paul Low, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department that was also scheduled to speak in the debate, should express similar condemnation of the cancellation.

“It is truly disturbing that the management of an institute of higher learning, with the tagline ‘garden of knowledge and virtue’ has shown its inability to rise above politics in this debacle,” Nik Nazmi said.

Apart from Low and Nik Nazmi, “The Great Debate Series 2 — Everything in Moderation: Ways of Living Together” was to feature lawyer Firdaus Husni, Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Shad Saleem, Niki Cheong and Professor Dr Ahmad Yousif as panel speakers.

BFM radio’s presenter, Ahmad Fuad Rahmat was supposed to be the moderator.

British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell was also supposed to give an introduction speech.

Calls made to the university’s corporate communication office after 5pm when the cancellation was made known, went unanswered.