KUALA LUMPUR – Controversial American academician Bruce Gilley has launched a fundraising campaign to collect over RM10,000 in funds shortly after declining reimbursement from University Malaya for cancelled programmes.
This is after he landed in hot water over his pro-Israel remarks during a recent talk at the university.
“I won’t accept reimbursement of travel and lodging costs from (UM) as a result of its disgraceful behaviour and that of the Malaysian government,” Gilley said in a post on his X account today.
“The US$2,346 (RM11,222) here covers my one-way flight to Malaysia and my hotel. Thanks for (your) support.”
However, on the GoFundMe website, Gilley seemed to contradict his previous statement about UM offering to cover the costs.
He claimed that the university’s decision to cancel his visiting professorship meant that the flight and hotel costs incurred would not be covered.
Gilley also alleged that he was forced to leave Malaysia after criticising the nation’s “official anti-Semitism” in a keynote address at the university.
“This is an open and proud request for public support to defray these costs, totalling US$2,346,” he added.
As of press time, Gilley garnered five donations worth US$295 (RM1,411).
Earlier today, he said that he had left Malaysia and that he was “one step ahead of the Islamo-facts mob” he claimed was generated by the government here.
“This is not a safe country to travel to now. Updates to follow,” he said on X.
UM has since condemned Gilley’s statement about the safety of travelling to Malaysia, asserting that it fully supports the government’s stance in the Palestine-Israel conflict.
“This statement is irresponsible and extreme, which has sparked ire among all Malaysians,” the university said in a statement.
“UM will continue to carry the government’s stance of opposing any element related to Israel and fully support efforts to recognise Palestine as an independent and legitimate nation.”
The university also expressed its regret over the fiasco, assuring that a full report on the issue is being prepared and promising to take strict action against those found to be involved in the issue.
In a post on X yesterday, Gilley posted a photo of himself giving a speech while standing at a podium bearing UM’s name and crest.
“A country whose political leaders advocate a second Holocaust against the Jewish people will never be a serious player in world affairs and will certainly never be a friend or partner of the United States,” he posted.
In another post in the same thread, Gilley said: “This is a long-standing vice of Malaysian politicians going back to Mahathir’s advice to learn from the Germans on how to kill Jews.
“Today, TV news hosts end daily broadcasts with ‘From the River to the Sea’ and ‘Israel cuak’ (Israel is frightened)”.
While Gilley claims that he has deleted the post in question “for the safety and wellbeing of colleagues at UM whose leadership has responded to a student outcry,” he also published a screenshot of the offending post.
An event, themed Reassessing Republican China by UM’s Institute of China Studies, was to be held at 10am today with Gilley, an author of several books on China, as the main speaker. – April 25, 2024