No place for fake professors either

ASIDE from fake Datuk titles, there are also cases where people falsely proclaim themselves to be professors.

National Professors Council (Majlis Profesor Negara, or MPN) president Prof Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose says the council is fully aware of this and that such cases are common.

The council plans to update its guidelines on the usage of the professorial title to address such titles being conferred by smaller institutions of higher learning.

“Most of the new guidelines will be the same as the current version, but we just need to iron out a few areas involving smaller institutions.

“We will need to study if they have the authority and proper structures in place to confer professorships on their staff members,” he says, adding that the guidelines were first released in 2014.

Prof Raduan says there are about 400 colleges in Malaysia and the MPN may have to identify these issues on a case-by-case basis.

“It is a grey area since each institution has its own Constitution and limitations,” Prof Raduan states.

Using the analogy of printing fake money, he says it crosses the line of being a serious wrongdoing if such individuals use their fake titles to mislead or cheat people.

“It’s one issue when some people call themselves professors even though they are not genuine. But once they use it to cheat others and a victim suffers due to this falsehood, then it is considered something criminal.

“It is like making fake money. If you make it and keep it, there is no value. But the moment you use it for a transaction and someone ends up being cheated, you are committing a crime,” he explains.

Prof Raduan says those who proclaim themselves professors most likely want to use it for social status.

“I hope our society will be guided by the law and self-awareness. If you claim to be someone you are not, you are cheating yourself,” he says.

The MPN has a database of verified professors in the country at its website, majlisprofesor.my.

Academy of Professors Malaysia (APM), set up in 2019, says all applications for its membership must be supported by a current member.

“The application is screened by the APM Secretariat by checking with the APM member or council.

“The APM will also check with the institution that awarded the professorship before the membership application is presented to the APM council for approval,” says the association, which includes professors from public and private universities.

In cases where some buy fake degrees and qualifications like PhDs, the APM says that it does not condone such behaviour, and urges the relevant authorities to take action against such individuals.

Those who use fake academic documents like false degrees can be guilty of forgery under the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to seven years in jail and a fine.

Meanwhile, a Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) leader says he has heard of several non-governmental organisations that allegedly give out honorary doctorates even though they are not a recognised university or awarding body.

“These titles carry no recognition. However, they perform a mock ceremony in a hotel with the gowns to show that it is genuine,” says Hulu Langat Muda education bureau head Dr Siva Prakash Ramasamy.

He adds that such acts send out the wrong impression to foreigners, affecting Malaysia’s efforts to make the country a hub of higher education.

Public and private higher education institutions do give honorary doctorates to recognise the achievements of individuals in their respective fields and to appreciate their contributions to society. However, the usage of the honorary “Dr” title is limited to within the awarding university, and recipients aren’t allowed to put the “Dr” title in front of their names in public.