KUALA LUMPUR: The Syed Husin Ali chair will be established at Universiti Malaysia to study the late leader's thoughts and works, including his views in his capacity as a sociologist.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he has instructed Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir to facilitate the setting up of the chair at the renowned varsity.
He said the chair in honour of Syed Husin will be set up upon the agreement from the late Parti Rakyat Malaysia president's family. Anwar said the chair will function as a lot of things, but it will primary be a about Syed Husin's thoughts particularly through various books and studies he composed as a sociologist.
"The chair was not merely about the figure of Syed Husin, but also a call for reflection on his thoughts on many topics: the people's poverty, the true history of the people that were different from the mainstream," Anwar said in his speech during the Memorial Ceremony for the Late Syed Husin Ali.
Sociologist, Syed Husin was also the founding member of the party. He died in June aged 87.
He became PKR deputy president following the merger of Parti Rakyat Malaysia, of which he was president, and Parti Keadilan Nasional in 2003.
He became PKR deputy president following the merger of Parti Rakyat Malaysia, of which he was president, and Parti Keadilan Nasional in 2003.
In December 1974, Syed Husin, who was then an associate professor at the University of Malaya, was detained under the now-abolished Internal Security Act (ISA).
He was held for six years following protests against the government by farmers in Baling and students in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar, who is also the PKR president, announced that RM200,000 would be reserved for the chair.
However, he said the individual who would be leading Syed Husin's chair remained undecided and it would be determined amongst his former students.
"I do not know who is qualified to be there, we need to identify among his students those who have fully grasped these views.
"He was not any ordinary scholar, but (a scholar with) pure conviction, courage, tenacity of purpose, writings breed from confidence, stubbornness and strong spirit that change must happen in the system because of the corruption," he said.