Thesun 2009-09-14 Page01 Upm Duo In Plagiarism Scandal

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No. 4844 PP 2644/12/2009 (023092)

Monday September 14, 2009

TELLING IT AS IT IS

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MCA rivals meet today on EGM resolutions by Giam Say Khoon [email protected]

PETALING JAYA: The pro-Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s MCA central delegates extraordinary general meeting (EGM) action committee, headed by Datuk Seri Tan Chai Ho, says it is meeting party secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng on the resolutions for the EGM. Tan said he was personally informed by Wong yesterday the meeting would be held at the party headquarters this afternoon without being told the exact time or the identities of those representing the president. “I have no idea what will be discussed in the meeting but we have one main agenda, which is to preview and discuss the resolutions,” he said. The committee submitted 921 signatures of central delegates and a requisition for an EGM on Friday. The move is to save the political career of Chua, who was expelled from the party on Aug 26 for his involvement in a sex DVD scandal. According to the party constitution, an EGM can be called by a third of the central delegates and the secretary-general must respond within five days upon receiving the requisition. If not, the delegates have the right to convene the EGM. The party presidential council had also decided on Friday that only one EGM would be held to avoid inconveniencing delegates although the president, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, and the committee had called for their own EGM after the sacking of Chua. It is widely speculated the EGM would be held on the weekend after Hari Raya Aidilfitri – either Sept 26 or 27 – as required by the party constitution that once the party president has exercised his privilege to call for an EGM, the meeting must be held within 30 days. It was also reported that after verifying the signatures on Saturday, the party secretariat found at least 100 of the 921 signatures were believed to be dubious. An English daily yesterday quoted a source as saying some of the signatures do not match and some membership numbers in the requisition forms are different from the database. “In some cases, there were multiple staple marks on the documents. Legal experts say this isn’t legal,” the source said, adding that many delegates who allegedly signed for the EGM also wanted to withdrawal the requisition. There is also talk that delegates were allegedly paid for their signatures and these are the ones who withdrew after their names were submitted by the committee to the party secretariat as they had chosen to remain “neutral” to avoid “offending” the incumbents.

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UPM duo in plagiarism scandal BERNAMAPIX

Ops Sikap 20 begins ... Bukit Aman traffic police personnel (from left) L/Cpl Jahuddin Judimin, Cpl Osman Mohd Yusof and L/Cpl Mohd Khairolredzuan Mohd Zain keep an eye on vehicles travelling from Seremban to Air Keroh on the North-South Expressway yesterday on the first Day of Ops Sikap 20. The operations will go on until Sept 28.

Entertainment

by Llew-Ann Phang [email protected]

ETALING JAYA: Two Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) lecturers are facing career-damaging action for plagiarism. Six years ago, the two academicians – a professor and one who recently received her PhD – produced a reference book titled “Writing an Effective Resume” meant for management students on writing impactful resumes that would attract potential employers. However, about a year ago, suspicions arose within the academia the book may have plagiarised materials of several American university websites, including Harvard and Albion College. Investigations conducted by the university discovered that a “substantial” amount of the 64-page book was lifted almost word-for-word, albeit given a local touch. It, among others, defines a resume and its purpose, making the resume appealing, networking, organising the employment portfolio and preparing curriculum vitae. Higher Education Ministry director-general Prof Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi acknowledged receiving the complaint and investigations are ongoing. “We certainly cannot accept plagiarism, especially in the higher education environment,” he said, adding that punitive action would be taken under the Universities and University Colleges Act and Statutory Bodies (Discipline and Surcharge) Act (Act 605). “It is under the purview of the university. I spoke to the legal director and UPM is taking very serious action on the staff according to the Act,” Radin Umar said in an e-mail to theSun. Investigations headed by UPM’s Legal Department concluded that among the actions to be taken are that they repay royalties to the university, as well as receive a “severe reprimand on their personal file”. UPM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Nik Mustapha R. Abdullah told theSun in an interview that this would mean a slow climb up the rungs for the two authors. “It’s very difficult to prove plagiarism also because sometimes it’s about expression but it’s very unfortunate as they will have to suffer,” he said, adding that one of the authors expressed sincere regret over the matter.

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