JOHOR BARU: Labelling public higher education institutions as “corruption breeding grounds” (lubuk rasuah) is a malicious and baseless claim that threatens the credibility of Malaysia’s education system, says Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim. He said that while isolated cases may exist, it is unjust to allow one or two incidents to define the entire system. He said all universities operate under strict governance and integrity frameworks, with clear procedures in place to ensure accountability. “Criticise based on facts, not assumptions,” he said, stressing that universities are meant to produce individuals with integrity and strong values, not corruption. Prof Mohd Shafry was responding to a recent news report alleging that public higher education institutions were becoming breeding grounds for corruption.

Source: The Star April 07, 2026 19:00 UTC