Employers Can Fire Employees If They Submit Fake Degrees

Be warned of fake degrees! Employers have the right to fire employees if they submit fake degrees, says Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan.

According to Shamsuddin, faking a degree to gain employment or promotion is considered as a serious misconduct. If an employee is found guilty of committing such offence, the normal punishment is dismissal.

Shamsuddin added that in the professional environment, employees usually fake a degree to impress their employer or potential employer. He said that some employees produce fake degrees during a stage in their job application or even during employment.

Aside from impressing their employer, those who fake degrees also think that they have the necessary qualifications to be employed, Shamsuddin said.

“Those who show fake degrees while employed are usually trying to persuade employers that they should be promoted and given a more important role,” he added.

Cases related to degree fraud

• In September 2018, a man and a woman were charged at the magistrate’s court with forging an accreditation certificate and issuing a forged document, respectively. The man was charged with forging Open University Malaysia’s (OUM) degree certificate with intent to cheat for the woman to use it to further her master’s degree at City University.

• In a bizarre case, a Singaporean law graduate altered her academic documents by using MS Paint software on her computer. She was fined RM45,000 and struck off the roll.

• In April 2018, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) detained three people who were believed to be middle-men who handled the sale of fake certificates.

Combating degree fraud

In November 2018, the Ministry of Education (MoE) announced that it will use blockchain technology to combat degree fraud. Luxtag, a Blockchain solution provider developed the system called e-Scroll to verify and validate certificates using a blockchain-powered web application.

Under Section 468 of the Penal Code, whoever commits forgery, intending that the forged document shall be used for the purpose of cheating, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to a fine.

Hiring Giving You a Headache? You've found the solution! Register at AJobThing.com to access our recruitment services.

Related articles

Can Employees be Sacked over Controversial Comments?

What You Need to Know About Domestic Inquiry in Malaysia

HR's Guide to Show Cause Letters