Out of Malaysia, Bruce Gilley wants to enjoying academic freedom

Portland State University political scientist Bruce Gilley who created a controversy in Malaysia is thankful to his to academic partners in Thailand for helping him to leave Malaysia.

“I am deeply grateful to my academic partners in Thailand for scrambling to get me out of Dodge.

“I look forward to enjoying the academic freedom here. And long live the enduring Thailand-Israel relationship,” Bruce Gilley said via an X post.

Together with the post was a picture of the Israel Ambassador Orna Sagiv and the Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sirripunt planting frangipani trees at Benchakitti Park, in an attempt to show the closeness of Thailand and Israel.

He left Malaysia yesterday, citing concern for his safety.

He allegedly downplayed Malaysia’s ties with the US and claimed that Malaysia had pushed for a “second holocaust against the Jewish people” when giving a talk at the University Malaya (UM) on 23 April.

The event took place on October 31 2022.

He was scheduled to give three talks at UM as a visiting professor, however, due to a controversy spark, those talks have been cancelled by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

Contrary to claims by US academician Bruce Gilley, the US embassy to Malaysia asserts that Malaysia remains a safe destination for travellers.

“There is no change to the US travel advisory, which remains at Level 1, the lowest level out of four,” the embassy said in a statement.