SHAH ALAM, JUL 25: A comprehensive joint High Impact Research (HIR), between the Higher Education Ministry and University Malaya (UM), is necessary due to allegations of academic fraud in the institution.
Serdang Member of Parliament Dr Ong Kian Ming said this is necessary in order to regain the integrity and academic credibility of Malaysia’s oldest university.
“Based on UM Annual Report 2014, the ministry injected RM590 million of funds into its research programmes, with additional funds from UM itself, to finance research projects until 2016.
“In view of the huge amount given for the initiative and the fact that two of the research projects have been identified as academic frauds, it has now become a public right for the details to be publicised.
Upon investigation, UM discovered last month that a Scientific Report and three other reports published by a group of the university researchers had elements of duplication and manipulation.
As a result, the articles found to be plagiarised were retracted from its research journals.
Dr Ong urged UM to reveal the full investigation proceedings on the matter, besides suggesting that some amendments be made to current guidelines to ensure these incidents do not recur.
“UM should also reveal the punishment meted out to the researchers as a reminder to the rest that they will be subjected to the same if found guilty of academic fraud.”
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