Don: Many of us left because we feel unappreciated

PETALING JAYA: Many lecturers are leaving public universities because they feel their sacrifices are not being valued, says a senior clinical lecturer.

The professor from Universiti Sains Malay­sia, left the public university last month after 23 years of service.

He is joining a private university in Kuala Lumpur.

Admitting that there were “better offers out there”, he said most seniors left not for the money, but because “we feel unappreciated”.

It is very hurtful when one is challenged to leave by a superior after all the years of sacrifice, he lamented.

“We are constantly told that if we leave, there will be others to take our place.

“In the early days when there were few grants, minimal facilities, and not many staff, we could barely cope but we were happy.

“Now, our hard work day in and day out goes unrecognised and we are brushed aside with comments like ‘it’s your job (to work hard)’.

“Many, including myself, find this unacceptable,” the 51-year-old who declined to be named, said yesterday.

He said many promises of promotions made to senior lecturers who helped lay the foundation for the university’s medical programmes were forgotten.

“They (the university) kept moving the goal post when it came to the time for promotions.

“There is always some new promotion criteria being introduced.

“All that matters today is publishing papers, but what about all our previous contributions?” he asked.

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