Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Bank Islam suspends chief economist over polls prediction

Bank Islam has suspended its chief economist Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajuddin over his prediction of the likely results of Election 2013.

The Malaysian Insider quoted Azrul Azwar as confirming the suspension.

Last week Singapore's The Straits Times reported that Azrul Azwar predicted a narrow win in Election 2013 by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as the most likely of three possible scenarios.

Bank Islam was quick to distance itself from Azrul Azwar and in a January 11 statement, its managing director Datuk Seri Zukri Samad regretted that a news report on a Singapore forum had associated the bank with Azrul Azhar's views and forecast.

"The views expressed by azrul at the forum are entirely his personal view and should not be linked or attributed to Bank Islam whatsoever," Zukri wrote in the four-paragraph statement.

If that is the case, then why suspend Azrul Azhar? He was expressing his personal views and he is free to do so as an individual. It is part and parcel of democracy unless Bank Islam did not subscribe to democracy and freedom of speech.

The suspension of Azrul Azhar is a mockery of democratic principles.



 

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