KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — The government has been urged to conduct academic background checks on appointees by government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLIC) to ensure that they are truly qualified for the role.

The proposal was made by Ong Kian Ming (Bangi-PH) in a debate on the motion of thanks to the royal address by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in Dewan Rakyat today.

"Does the Prime Minister plan to conduct academic background checks on all GLC and GLIC chief executive officers (CEO) and chairman, including the Perikatan Nasional members of parliament who had just been appointed to their post?” he asked.

He said that those who have been found guilty of faking their academic background or had obtained their degree from "degree mills” should be made to resign from their posts.

A degree mill is where an unlicensed higher education institution offers illegitimate academic degrees and diplomas for a fee.

With regards to the academic background of Permodalan Nasional Bhd’s (PNB) former president and CEO Jalil Rasheed, who had recently resigned from his post, Ong said it was a technical issue which could have been discussed.

"It should not be the reason why he might have been forced to resign. Maybe his resignation will raise many speculations with regards to the actual reason why he was forced to do it, which would give rise to issues about transparency and such,” he said. 

Jalil had tendered his resignation from his post in PNB on June 15. He was appointed to the post on October 1, 2019. — Bernama