UTM professor wins bid to quash dismissal, but no reinstatement yet

In a significant ruling, the Johor Bahru High Court has ordered Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to reevaluate the dismissal of associate professor B Malarvili. The court found that the disciplinary process had denied her a fair opportunity to defend herself, setting aside the decision made by the disciplinary committee in November 2024.

The judge, Budiman Lutfi Mohamed, emphasized that the right to be heard must be a genuine right, not merely a formality. While the ruling does not officially exonerate Malarvili of the charges, it mandates UTM to conduct a fresh review of the case, disclose relevant evidence, allow Malarvili to submit additional arguments, and consider further investigations.

The charges against her included the use of a scanned signature, unauthorized overseas travel, irregular attendance records, connections to the UNISERF programme, and alleged involvement in outside business activities. Despite this, the court did not order Malarvili's reinstatement or compensation for salary arrears or damages. Malarvili, who had worked at UTM's Skudai campus for approximately 21 years, faced these allegations. UTM, along with the two disciplinary committees, was ordered to pay Malarvili RM15,000 in costs.