By Mazlinda Mahmood

SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin does not want Malaysians to obtain cheap, unrecognised degrees through illegal means as it is an undignified and dishonourable act.

He said if the trend of obtaining fake degrees was not stopped, the whole community would also became fake and undignified.

Tuanku Mizan, who is the chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), was speaking at the university's convocation here after conferring degrees and awards on 418 people yesterday.

He said UiTM and other universities must ensure the quality, recognition and integrity of all degrees that were conferred.

"Apart from that, we must also monitor strictly and carefully any individuals who use their degree as a means to secure positions. We must ensure that their degrees are authentic and recognised.

"It is our obligation to make sure that they are capable and can be entrusted to educate the young generation."

Among the notable recipients at the ceremony were former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam who received an honorary doctorate in government and politics.

Musa said he did not encourage his children to follow in his footsteps and was happy with their choice of careers in medicine, engineering and accountancy.

The Royal Chancellor Award went to Nik Muammar Bahari.

Nik Muammar completed his Bachelor of Arts and Design degree with a CGPA of 3.88 despite growing up in a single parent home.

He now works as a project designer for Graphia Brands, an international branding and design firm, and is doing an environmental and graphic design for the Qatar National Master Plan.

Mohd Rashid Azhari Musa, 34, eldest son of Inpector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, graduated with a master's degree in forensic accounting and financial criminology.

Mohd Rashid Azhari, who was with the Securities Commission (SC), said his interest in investigative accounting might have started from his work at the SC where he sifted through documents to look for evidence.

He is now employed as a manager at Prokhas Sdn Bhd.

New Straits Times Life & Times writer Tengku Elena Tengku Mahamad graduated with a first class honours in mass communications.

She received the Tun Fatimah Hashim gold medal.

Present at the ceremony were UiTM pro-chancellors Tan Sri Arshad Ayub and Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Arshad, and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah.

A total of 21,128 graduands will receive their diplomas, degrees and postgraduate degrees till Oct 27.