Time to reshuffle

The Cambridge International University fiasco with the Deputy Foreign Minister Dato’ Marzuki Yahya’s credibility and integrity is under a lot of flak provided a good opportunity for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to reshuffle the Cabinet and top party posts.

Joceline Tan column in The Star:

Marzuki looks to Dr M to save him from scandal

---

• ANALYSIS

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/analysis/2019/02/09/marzuki-looks-to-dr-m-to-save-him-from-scandal-the-fake-degree-firestorm-that-is-threatening-to-brin/#hi1LWVwtI71QwmFd.99

The fake degree firestorm that is threatening to bring down the Deputy Foreign Minister could not have happened at a worse time for Bersatu. 

DEPUTY Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya’s political career was on the rise, especially after he was appointed to the key post of secretary-general of Bersatu.

ADVERTISEMENT

But the ground seems to be crumbling under his feet ever since the news broke about his fake university degree.

The Kedah-born Marzuki is fighting for his survival even as the cruel world of social media has pronounced him guilty and is demanding that he resigns from his Foreign Ministry job.

There is a firestorm of public opinion out there over what has been dubbed the “Scam-bridge scandal”.

Nobody, including Marzuki himself, had questioned post-May 9 media reports that he graduated from the prestigious Cambridge University.

But when the scandal broke, Marzuki clarified that it was Cambridge International University in the United States which, to his further embarrassment, turned out to be a degree mill.

By then, the issue had acquired a life of its own, beyond his control or that of his party.

The prevailing opinion on social media is that if he cannot be honest about something as simple as his academic background, how can he be trusted on affairs of state?

It has been pointed out that if this was the private sector, the person would have been fired without further ado because it is a question of his credibility and integrity.

The question on everyone’s lips is whether Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will take the necessary action to safeguard the image of his government and party.

As former Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi pointed out, the collateral damage to Bersatu is high given that Marzuki is the party’s secretary-general.

It is not only the party of the Prime Minister, Bersatu is supposed to be the backbone of Pakatan Harapan, and it aims to replace Umno as the party of choice for Malays.

“It’s messy and it looks quite indefensible because he is not a small fry. He has a big post and is the face of our Foreign Ministry,” said Ooi.

And as some have pointed out, where is Malaysia going to put her face when Marzuki comes face-to-face with, for example, Singapore ministers, many of whom are genuine Oxbridge products.

“I have known Marzuki since our days in Umno Youth, and he never claimed he was from Cambridge University. My personal experience with him is that he is always supportive and has integrity as a politician,” said Bersatu supreme council member Akhramsyah Sanusi.

But Akhramsyah, who is also Mara Corp chairman, admitted he was shocked by the public furore.

“I want to stress that he was chosen as a deputy minister mainly for his experience and sacrifices for the party.

“We want our leaders to be of the highest integrity but I also believe in giving people a second chance,” said Akhramsyah.

The Marzuki scandal could not have happened at a worse time for Bersatu which is facing a pivotal by-election in Semenyih.

It also opened the floodgates to greater scrutiny of the educational background of other Pakatan leaders including two Mentris Besar, both of who are from Bersatu.

Several Pakatan leaders have jumped to their defence, saying that one does not need a degree to be an effective politician.

They are perfectly right except that the issue here concerns the integrity of politicians who have fake qualifications.

Marzuki is also on the threshold of possibly being declared the real winner for the Tasik Gelugor parliamentary seat in Penang.

Marzuki, who lost the seat in the general election by only 81 votes, applied to the courts for a recount on the grounds there were 297 unreturned postal votes and 689 spoilt votes.

The scandal has cast a pall over the court application.

Those familiar with Dr Mahathir do not expect him to ask Marzuki to resign.

The elderly leader has a track record of defending the indefensible for as long as the person is his loyalist. 

But this is New Malaysia. If Dr Mahathir decides to save Marzuki, he will not get the same docile reaction from the public as during his first round as Prime Minister.

Nevertheless, he will have the last say as the Prime Minister and chairman of his party.

The fake degree scandal underscores the perception that Bersatu is seriously short of qualified and capable people to fill government posts. This issue is one more reason why Dr Mahathir should reshuffle his Cabinet sooner rather than later.

It will be awkward for Marzuki to continue in foreign affairs. If Dr Mahathir decides to keep him, he may want to put Marzuki where he does not have to represent the country.

Perhaps the most baffling thing about this whole rigmarole is that in the Internet era, where almost everything one does has a digital footprint, there are still people who think they can get away with faking their academic qualifications.

“Let this serve as a lesson for New Malaysia,” said Ooi.

*************

This created a lot of ruckus and heated, be it in in the mainstream and social media.

Utusan Online story:

Rakyat wajib bangkit menentang, jatuhkan pemimpin ‘sijil palsu’ – Penganalisa

NUR ANIS FARHANAH ABD. MALEK

1.3K

KUALA LUMPUR 9 Feb. – Masyarakat Malaysia wajib bangkit menentang dan menjatuhkan pemimpin yang mempunyai kelayakan akademik palsu kerana dilihat mempimpin negara ini dalam kepalsuan.

Perkara itu ditegaskan oleh Profesor Penyelidikan Dasar dan Pengajian Antarabangsa Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Prof. Datuk Dr. Ahmad Murad Merican yang menyifatkan tiada tolak ansur berhubung dakwaan berkenaan kerana hal itu melibatkan etika politik.

Sambil mempersoalkan mengapa terdapat segelintir golongan yang berpendidikan masih menerima pemimpin ‘palsu’ itu atas dasar kejujuran, Dr. Ahmad Murad menggesa Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) mesti mewujudkan kod amalan parti dan ahli parti politik.

“Mengapa perlu kita bertoleransi terhadap pemimpin palsu yang memalsukan imej mereka? Mengapa perlu kita terima mereka sebagai Timbalan Menteri (luar), menteri besar atau Menteri Kabinet?

TRANSKRIP dan sijil Ijazah Sarjana Muda Pentadbiran Perniagaan yang dimiliki Datuk Marzuki Yahya dari Cambridge International University (CIU) Amerika Syarikat. – UTUSAN ONLINE

“Mengapa mereka yang terdidik, tidak kira kelayakan asalkan dipaparkan dengan jujur, menerima mereka yang palsu ini sebagai pemimpin kita di Malaysia? Warga negara wajib bangkit menentang dan menjatuhkan mereka yang memimpin kita dalam kepalsuan. Tiada tolak ansur dalam hal ini.

“SPR mesti mewujudkan kod amalan parti dan ahli parti politik. Pengawalan selia politikus mesti dilaksanakan. ‘Enough is enough’,” tegasnya dalam status hantaran di laman Facebook rasminya, Ahmad Murad Merican, di sini hari ini.

Utusan Malaysia hari ini melaporkan isu ‘sijil palsu’ Timbalan Menteri Luar, Datuk Marzuki Yahya kini mendapat perhatian antarabangsa apabila agensi berita, AFP mela¬porkan mengenainya.

Selepas cerita ‘sijil palsu’ Marzuki, orang ramai mula meragui kelayakan Menteri Besar, Datuk Osman Sapian yang mendakwa mempunyai ijazah dan diploma Perakaunan dari Universiti Pertanian Malaysia yang kini dikenali sebagai Universiti Putra Malaysia. – UTUSAN ONLINE

**********

And Sinar Harian story:

Ijazah palsu, MB Johor hanya tersenyum

| 09 Feb 2019

*******

There is also now a new public discourse mainly through social media on Housing Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin’s Degree from National University of Singapore.

The Star Online story:

Zuraida: I never claimed I was an NUS graduate

---

• NATION

• Saturday, 9 Feb 2019

• 11:38 PM MYT

• by jo timbuong and bernard cheah

PETALING JAYA: Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin says that she never claimed to be a graduate of the National University of Singapore (NUS).

“I have never claimed or held myself to be a graduate of NUS and I have never authorised anyone else to do so,” she said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Zuraida added that she was disappointed that no one had verified the fact with her before the news was published.

She was responding to allegations that her academic credentials had been falsified after a Twitter user said he was unable to find her name on the NUS’ online degree verification portal.

image: https://video.unrulymedia.com/native/images/in-art-close-icon-128×128-16481b937f87b244a645cdbef0d930f8.png

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––

https://cloud-video.unrulymedia.com/8Ku1G-1548058883953-1125.mp4?0

The tweet included a Bernama infographic, which stated that she had obtained a social science degree from the University of Singapore.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbernamaofficial%2Fphotos%2Fa.10150341276330555%2F10156497276630555%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500

On its website, NUS stated that it was established in 1980 after a merger between the University of Singapore and Nanyang University.

Zuraida also said that she was not responsible for any wrongful information online which stated that she was an NUS graduate.

A check revealed that there have been numerous edits to her Wikipedia page to reflect that Zuraida had graduated from “Harvard University of higher learning” and even a “Syok Sendiri University”.

However, Wikipedia shows that the username of the person who made those changes does not exist.

There are six autonomous universities in Singapore including the NUS.

Others are Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/09/zuraida-i-never-claimed-i-was-an-nus-graduate/#EklSWeSJouBiLPeQ.99

***************

This is very appalling.

Imagine, what are HE Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Charge d’Affairs to Kuala Lumpur representing their Kings, Queens and/or Presidents and the people, are reporting back to their leaders, on the matter of education integrity pertaining to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs?

Addendum: Other Cabinet Ministers and Menteri Besars also.

What does it reflect about us, Federation of Malaysia and Malaysians.

It is time to make changes. It is time for Cabinet and party Supreme Council positions to be reshuffled.

Bring in more credible leaders, within the party into the centre court and replace these leaders with doubtful education qualification and their dodgy attitude of not being truthful about it.

Example of party leaders worthy to be considered, Dato’ Dr Rais Hussin, Akramsyah Muammar Ubaidullah Sanusi, Tariq Mustapha and Wan Shahrir.

One note from a staunch PPBM supporter:

1. Beberapa hari ini, isu mengenai kelulusan akademik YB Datuk Marzuki Yahya hangat diperkatakan di merata tempat, malah di luar negara.

2. Isu kelulusan akademik sebegini bukanlah isu yang baru. Malah beberapa personaliti politik dan bisnes pernah diselubungi isu yang sama.

3. Namun begitu, mereka tidak memegang jawatan di dalam Kabinet Kerajaan Malaysia.

4. Kita mesti memegang ahli2 eksekutif Kerajaan Malaysia di standard integriti dan moral yang tinggi.

5. Oleh yang demikian, untuk memelihara integriti Kerajaan dan Parti, adalah wajar YB Datuk Marzuki untuk melepaskan jawatan Kerajaan serta Setiausaha Agung PPBM.

6. Tambahan lagi, kerajaan mesti diberi ruang untuk terus fokus kepada isu2 negara, tanpa dihindari oleh isu2 peribadi pemimpin.

7. Untuk menangani isu ini, lantiklah pengganti beliau individu yang mempunyai latar belakang akademik yang cemerlang agar ini membuktikan kepada Rakyat bahawa PPBM mempunyai pemimpin yang hebat.

AA: 9/2/19

***********

Even level headed staunch party supporters making this call. The matter of integrity has to be resolved.