Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996: Sufficient to Curb Fake Academic Certificates
No Need to Amend Act 555
KUALA LUMPUR: The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 or Act 555 need not be amended as the existing legal provisions are sufficient to curb the activities of awarding fake academic certificates, the Dewan Negara was told today.
Existing Provisions Sufficient
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the provision in the existing law provides a fine of up to RM200,000 or two years’ imprisonment or both for individuals or institutions found to commit the offence. He was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Dr Lingeshwaran R. Arunasalam during the question and answer session at the Senate.
Senator’s Suggestion
The senator wanted to know whether the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 needed to be amended to ensure stricter action to address the issue. However, Zambry agreed with Lingeshwaran’s suggestion to hold an open audit of all high-ranking government officials, including Members of Parliament and Senators to ensure that no one is using fake academic certificates.
No Fake PhDs in Malaysia
Responding to Lingeshwaran’s original question regarding the widespread awarding of fake Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Malaysia and the number of institutions involved, Zambry said the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) has not received any complaints about institutions of higher learning in the country that awarded fake PhDs.
University Database System
Zambry said every public university has its database system that stores information on students who have graduated, including PhD graduates. "The data must be submitted to the KPT every quarter for collecting student data. The KPT also has developed a system for searching for information on recipients of honorary and doctorate degrees from public and private universities on the Graduate Reference Hub for Employment and Training portal," he said.
"This system is constantly updated from time to time where the data is updated after receiving approval from the university Senate, so we can provide a reference for any party to do their search," he added.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the existing legal provisions under the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 are sufficient to curb the activities of awarding fake academic certificates, and there is no need to amend the Act. The Ministry of Higher Education has also implemented a database system to ensure that information on academic credentials is accurate and easily accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do fake academic certificates still exist in Malaysia?
A: No, according to the Ministry of Higher Education, there is no evidence of widespread awarding of fake PhD degrees in Malaysia.
Q: Is there a need to amend the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996?
A: No, the existing provisions are sufficient to curb the activities of awarding fake academic certificates.
Q: How does the Ministry of Higher Education ensure the accuracy of academic credentials?
A: The Ministry has developed a database system that stores information on students who have graduated, including PhD graduates, and updates the data regularly to ensure accuracy and accessibility.