MALAYSIAN LECTURER WINS SUIT OVER PhD RESULT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- A senior Universiti Malaya (UM) lecturer on Tuesday won his lawsuit against the university over his PhD result.

High Court Judge Rohana Yusuf granted G. Sivapalan's application for a judicial review to quash UM's decision that he had failed his PhD examination.

Counsel M. Eswary, representing Sivapalan, told reporters that the judge allowed her client's application for a judicial review with costs amounting to RM7,000 (US$2,224).

She said the judge held that UM's decision, via a letter dated Dec
24, 2009 telling Sivapalan that he had failed his PhD and was not allowed to resume his PhD programme, was invalid.

In his application, Sivapalan said he had registered to pursue his PhD in 1996 and had duly submitted his thesis to be examined in 2006.

Sivapalan said he had also duly attended the viva voce (oral examination) and had given a presentation on the objective, methodology and findings of his research.

After the presentation, he was informed orally that he had passed the PhD examination, he said.

Upon the announcement that he had passed the examination, he had asked UM's Human Resources Department with regard to his salary adjustment, he added.

However, the university, via a letter dated Dec 24, 2009 stated that he had failed his PhD examination and was not allowed to resume his PhD programme.

In the application, Sivapalan was seeking, among others, a declaration that the decision made by UM in the letter is null and void, as well as all benefits, including salary increments from 2006.

-- BERNAMA