The Malaysian Insight

FAKE degree syndicates have recruited inside help from some universities so that the fraudulent certificates are recorded in the database of the institutions, said syndicate members.

The fake degrees come with academic records, distinguishing them from the shoddy forged certificates that are just pieces of paper.

Although some forgeries may be cheap, they can be easily exposed if a check at the university concerned is made. The fraudulent degrees covers all its bases, including an academic transcript.

The Malaysian Insight reporters had posed as prospective fake degree buyers and made contact with a syndicate member who offered various diplomas and degrees.

When asked which university would be the best choice, he said: “Definitely from international universities. Our ‘boss’ is in the university itself, it’s more convenient (to forge).”

The man then sent several photographs of sample certificates for the writer to inspect, explaining that the syndicate can forge the official typeface, academic transcripts and approval letters, requiring only the customers’ information and payment.

Another forger meanwhile said his products are “recognised everywhere”.

The man, who communicated in English, said: “Our certificates are ‘originals’. You can even verify it in their database and you’ll find record of it.”

He did not say whether he has inside help, but customers are advised to make full payment after verifying that their degrees check out at the universities’ internal databases.

The first syndicate member said not all academic certificates can be forged.

He said they do not offer certificates relating to medical, pharmaceutical and legal fields.

He said this was because the fields had rigorous certification processes and forgers cannot guarantee that their products can be verified.

“But for courses like engineering, mass communications, accountancy and such, we can do it,” he said.

When asked if credentials from state-run universities are available, he said: “We don’t do for national universities very often, it’s more risky and we’re afraid of complications, so we don’t dare to.” 

“Generally speaking, we only forge certificates that can be used to apply for local universities.”

However, the capabilities of different syndicates seem to differ as the forger who communicated in English offered law degrees from state-run universities abroad, but the prices were much higher.

Recently, several senior politicians in the Pakatan Harapan government, including ministers and elected representatives, were exposed for allegedly having dubious academic credentials, causing outrage and prompting calls for their resignations.

They included Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya, whose “Cambridge degree” was revealed to have been obtained from a US-based institution that is suspected to be a degree mill.

Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin were also alleged to have dubious qualifications but both have denied ever graduating from the institutions concerned.

Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian’s credentials from Universiti Putra Malaysia have also been questioned.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s accountancy qualification was also questioned by MCA president Wee Ka Siong, triggering a spat. – February 18, 2019.