Kohilan has a Master of Science in Commerce and Industrial Economy degree from Pacific Western University in the United States. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — The DAP continued today its drive to dig up more dirt on the academic qualifications of its political rivals from Barisan Nasional (BN), claiming the degrees of both deputy ministers in the Foreign Ministry had being bought from suspect universities.
A day after accusing A. Kohilan Pillay of buying his Master of Science in Commerce and Industrial Economy from Pacific Western University in the United States, DAP election strategist Ong Kian Ming alleged that the Puchong candidate had obtained a fake bachelor’s degree.
Ong also alleged that Kohilan’s colleague in the same ministry, Datuk Richard Riot Jaem, had gained his academic credentials from a well-known “bogus university”.
“In other words, both our deputy foreign ministers have not one but two degrees from dubious universities!” the opposition politician said in a statement.
“Such behaviour is totally unethical and unacceptable for any leader, not to mention two national leaders that are supposed to represent our nation on the international stage!” he added.
Ong chided the two deputy ministers for being so bold as to list their paper qualifications on the ministry’s website, noting that a simple background check revealed the universities that had awarded the duo their degrees to be suspect.
Connaught University in the Republic of Ireland from where Kohilan was said to have got his Bachelor of Economics does not have a website and had been among a list of “dubious institutions” in a 2009 investigation by local daily The Star along with the Pacific Western University where the BN man had got his master’s degree, Ong said.
Richard, the incumbent MP for Serian in Sarawak, was alleged to have bought both his Bachelor of Business Administration from the Chartered Institute of Business Administration (Ireland), Teoranta in 1994 and his Master of Business Administration from Preston University in the US.
Ong also claimed that Nicole Wong, another BN hopeful for the Seputeh federal seat, owned “invalid degrees” from “unauthorised schools”, raising doubt over her MBA from the West Coast University Panama.
He reiterated his call on the BN nominees to withdraw from taking part in the May 5 election.
“Not having a degree does not disqualify someone from being a candidate.
“But having lied about how one has obtained a degree most certainly disqualifies a person, from an integrity standpoint, from being a candidate,” he said.
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