Expose academic fraud, says group
Gerak says lack of critical thinking, analytical rigour, and academic honesty continues to plague higher education in Malaysia.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak) has called for academic fraud to be exposed, saying it is the result of a fundamental crisis in Malaysian academe.
Gerak said there must be a concerted joint effort by lecturers, heads of departments, deans, top university management and the government to uphold the spirit of excellence.
“Scholars and politicians must systematically denounce academic fraud, and consistently publicise such transgressions whenever they are uncovered,” it said.
In a statement, Gerak claimed that a Melaka-based historian had “exposed, yet again, the erroneous content of an oral presentation made by an emeritus professor at a public university”.
“His criticisms were centred on alleged factual errors, the absence of references to support these ‘facts’, and the overall lack of rigour in how the research findings were presented,” it said.
“Gerak reiterates that this is the result of a fundamental crisis in Malaysian academe. The lack of critical thinking, analytical rigour, and academic honesty continues to be exposed in Malaysian higher education.”
It said academics themselves are expected to back their academic claims with empirical evidence. When this is not the case, fellow academics are expected to expose both the publications and those responsible.
Gerak said public university lecturers “take pride in publishing a lot”. However, a number of these “scholarly” publications and activities are increasingly being exposed for fraudulent content, disjointed analysis, mediocrity, and irrelevance.
“Indeed, when it comes to alleviating the current ethno-religious divisions that are tearing our nation apart, are these ‘scholarly’ productions making a difference?
“Publishing erroneous research and the misrepresentation of facts must be loudly and clearly exposed for what they are, that is, academic fraud.”
Gerak said the higher education authorities must make it a priority to consistently expose the persistent occurrence of sloppy research produced by Malaysian universities.
“Also, top university management and the higher education ministry must be proactive in publicly exposing and dismissing fraudulent professors when they are repeat offenders,” it said.
Gerak also questioned the inaction of public universities and other relevant authorities against scholars who widely promote their fraudulent research.
“In many cases, such research is publicly funded. Therefore, the question of academic honesty becomes both a moral and national concern, affecting all citizens of Malaysia. When the allocation of public funding can no longer be justified on ethical grounds, it is akin to committing fraud to the Malaysian public at large,” it said.
“Furthermore, it is unclear if these fraudulent academics have faced disciplinary action, been demoted, or even dismissed from service. Are these numerous cases of academic fraud simply swept under the carpet? If so, this practice must stop.”
Gerak said Malaysia’s schools and universities must ensure a positive
learning environment, which would provide healthy platforms for public discourse and intellectual interaction.
It said these are vibrant spaces that facilitate controversial but healthy debates on important socio-political themes.
“When academic fraud is normalised, and the country is internationally embarrassed and globally ridiculed, the ordinary Malaysian loses.
“Worse, in a country which is already ethnically and religiously polarised, fraudulent research has the potential to further mislead and polarise communities, resulting in social unrest and violence,” it said.
It said the obsession of top university management and the higher education ministry with the global university ranking system (GURs) tends to exacerbate this crisis in quality research and tangible output.
“The push to publish more has resulted in a value system that rewards quantity over quality.
“It is time to stop the growing spread of mediocrity in the country,” it said.
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