Former Private University Manager Fined RM35,000 For Using Forged Documents

IPOH, July 30 (Bernama) -- A former manager at a private university was fined RM35,000 by the Sessions Court here today after he pleaded guilty to using forged documents to promote a programme for admission to the institution six years ago.

Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi also ordered Mohd Khalid Ka’ab, 42, to serve four months’ jail if he failed to pay the fine.

According to the charge sheet, Mohd Khalid, who was then a manager in the Student Admissions, Marketing and Records Department at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), was accused of dishonestly using a document as genuine, namely a student recruitment agreement between Institute of Technology Petronas Sdn Bhd and Profedge Sdn Bhd, dated Aug 1, 2019.

The document was presented as proof that an agent company was appointed to promote the UTP programme and recruit students from the Federal Territories, Selangor, and other locations for the university’s student admission programme.

The offence was committed in June 2019 at the UTP Seri Iskandar Registrar’s Office in the Perak Tengah district.

The charge, framed under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 465 of the same Act, provides for a maximum imprisonment of two years, or a fine, or both upon conviction.

According to the facts of the case, the accused allegedly submitted six invoices under the name of Profedge Sdn Bhd between 2019 and 2020, claiming a total of RM323,650 for promotional and student recruitment services provided to the university.

UTP’s internal investigation found that the document was never referred to the legal department, did not bear the institution’s official stamp, and remained unstamped.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Shahrul Azuan Ghazali and deputy public prosecutor Maziyah Mansor appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by Mohd Izwan Abd Rahman.

-- BERNAMA