PETALING JAYA: Businesses have been warned against paying for costly “Asean Record” recognitions allegedly marketed by private organisers using the Asean name.
Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader said several businesses had reportedly been approached with offers of purported “Asean Record” awards, with registration fees said to be as high as RM30,000.
He said such practices raised serious concerns over possible misrepresentation and the misuse of the Asean identity for commercial gain.
“Businesses should not be pressured into paying large sums for recognitions that may create an inaccurate perception of official Asean affiliation or endorsement,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (May 13).
Mohideen said the Asean Secretariat had reportedly issued a clarification letter stating that it had not authorised, endorsed or partnered with organisers promoting and selling purported “Asean-certified” records to Malaysian businesses.
He said that according to a March 2026 letter from the Asean Secretary-General, any event, certificate, plaque, logo usage or claim presented by such organisers was not recognised by Asean and did not originate from the Asean Secretariat or any official Asean institution.
“The letter further emphasised that the Asean name and emblem are protected identifiers and warned against attempts by unscrupulous parties to exploit these identifiers to create a false impression of official endorsement in order to solicit payments from businesses,” he said.
Mohideen urged businesses and the public to verify any claims of Asean endorsement directly through official Asean channels before making payments or entering into agreements with such organisers.
He also called on the relevant authorities to investigate whether laws relating to misleading representations, consumer protection, unfair trade practices or misuse of protected institutional identities had been breached.
“The integrity of Asean as a respected regional institution must be protected from commercial exploitation and misuse,” he said.
On Monday (May 11), the Peninsular Malaysia Consumers Association also warned businesses against purported “Asean Record” certificates allegedly sold by private parties claiming links to the regional bloc.
It said multiple complaints had been received from businesses approached with offers carrying hefty fees.
