Malaysian Universities at High Risk of Corruption, Authorities Warn

Higher education institutions (IPT) are highly susceptible to corruption because they manage substantial funds, assets, and procurement processes, according to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM). PPj Syed Aswadi Syed Soffian, Deputy Director (Prevention) of SPRM Kedah, stated that the commission has received official complaints regarding corrupt practices within universities, including one in Kedah.

Soffian clarified that universities are not inherently "corruption hubs" but possess a high risk of exposure to such crimes. This was discussed during a forum titled 'UA Lubuk Rasuah?' (Are Universities Corruption Hubs?) at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). The forum explored the realities of financial ecosystems and white-collar crime risks in higher education.

Earlier reports highlighted IPTs, which should foster integrity, becoming "corruption hubs" due to silent infections within the nation's education ecosystem. Deputi Superintenden Nazaruddin Ibrahim from Kedah's Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) noted that most white-collar crimes in educational institutions stem from internal misconduct such as false claims, procurement irregularities, and project tenders. He attributed these activities to a lack of stringent monitoring, stating that corruption easily occurs when individuals are swayed by financial gain.

UUM Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ahmad Martadha Mohamed acknowledged isolated corruption cases but stressed they do not define universities as corruption hubs. He cited a lack of financial literacy and governance among some department heads as a contributing factor. "I always remind department heads to be cautious, especially when signing official documents," he said. He also mentioned the challenge of managing public perception, which can be manipulated by dissatisfied parties.