ADUN SPEAKS | Need for counter-culture to check predatory publications

ADUN SPEAKS | This is my rejoinder to the report "'Publish or Perish' mentality driving academicians to questionable journals”.

I certainly admit that academicians resorting to dubious or sub-standard publications or even predatory ones is certainly a problem in institutions of higher learning.

Universities in Malaysia are no exception.

But the mentality “publish or perish” is perhaps more prevalent in countries where universities practice tenurial system in the academic staff appointment.

Of course, in mature democracies, this prevalence might be counter checked by premium placed on ethics, morality, honesty and truth.

Since publications especially quality ones, either books or articles, are almost the sole criterion for not just seeking permanent appointments or promotions, there are nefarious attempts to publish in inferior or non-refereed journals or books that are not peer-reviewed before publication.

The paper chase is much more intense and competitive in countries that place a premium on publications.

This premium is invariably related to a host of other factors such as the nature of the tenurial system, the value placed on academic appointments and others.

Not any publications but quality ones, ones judged by peers in their respective fields of expertise or speciality.

Needless to say, the drive towards publications has resulted in the rise of mediocre, sub-standard and even the proliferation of plagiarised materials.

Malaysian universities, especially the public ones, are caught up to some extent in the paper chase.

Since public universities in the country are regarded as departments under the Education Ministry, there is the security of tenure once the lecturers have passed through their probation period of certain years.

It is only under rare circumstances that staff or lecturers are not confirmed.

In other words, it would be a herculean task for lecturer or staff not to be confirmed.

Since the subsequent promotion in the universities follows the pattern of the Malaysian civil service, there is little or no incentive to publish let alone coming out with quality publications.

Publications matter when they come to the appointment of associate and full professors.

But again, publications unlike the other countries is not the sole criterion in the promotion of lecturers.

It is no wonder that some vice-chancellors have come out shamelessly to say that publications are not the sole criterion in career advancement.

Such an attitude goes against the very basis of universities as centres of excellence based on research and publications.

A typical civil service mentality of promotions depends on loyalty, slavish adherence to criteria other than merit.

As a former academic, I don’t think public universities can really balance promotions not only on the quality of publications but on other considerations such as teaching and other forms of engagements.

In my opinion, academic advancement should be based solely on research and the output in terms of publications vetted by peer reviews.

In other words, what they are trying to say is that publications are not that important or placed on equal footing with teaching and other activities.

It is not surprising that the vice-chancellors of public universities are not really academics in the true sense of the word.

They have been basically appointed as departmental heads to administer public universities.

Public universities have been set up as places for providing employment opportunities for the bumiputera community in the country.

This would explain why there are only a sprinkling of non-Malays in public universities, almost all heads of departments are invariably Malays.

Given the primacy of political ethnic agenda, the normal rules that apply to universities in other countries do not really apply in Malaysia.

It is not that public universities do not prioritise academic excellence in publications and research findings, but these are not significant in comparison with the primacy placed on employment opportunities and promotions for the bumiputera community.

The non-Malay presence in public universities are hardly visible, improved intake of them as lecturers are considered as a threat to the larger Malay establishment.

Absence of tenurial system in the Malaysian universities where appointments and promotions are based on quality publications might mitigate against predatory publications or sub-standard publications or even plagiarised ones.

However, once lecturers in these universities cross the threshold of their probationary period, publications might be factored as important for their upward mobility.

It is not that absence of a tenurial system in universities has mitigated the worst effects of predatory and sub-standard publications.

This academic dishonesty is there but the authorities have sought to close their eyes on this matter.

Academics in Malaysian universities can get away with dishonesty in publications simply because there is the absence of a countervailing environment that provides checks and balances.

P RAMASAMY is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister (II) of Penang.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.