ALOR STAR: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) is leaving it to the police to investigate the case of the 23-year-old student who lied to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that he needed help with his tuition fees.
UUM Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan said the student, who previously deferred his studies at UUM, is on leave.
He said after police completed their investigation, UUM would review the case and take action.
"What he did was wrong. Let's allow the police to finish their investigation first," he told reporters today.
Foad was asked whether the student's alleged use of a forged UUM letterhead constitutes a punishable offence.
He said if the student was found guilty, action would be taken, including expulsion.
On Oct 28, it was reported that the student was expected to be charged with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
Kubang Pasu police chief Superintendent Rodzi Abu Hassan said the student was charged for deceiving NGOs and misusing the money he received.
Police began investigating the case after Cancer Survivors Malaysia chairman Zuraini Kamal lodged a report against the student.
Zuraini claimed the student misled the NGO and others by claiming his family was facing financial hardship.
She said the student, who identified himself as "Lim", reached out to her to seek help to raise RM5,000 to pay his fees to avoid expulsion.
Moved by his story, Zuraini shared his appeal on Facebook, along with his bank details. The campaign raised RM1,176.
Zuraini later discovered from a Penang NGO that the student had allegedly collected more than RM30,000 and had used it for online gambling.
After the student was remanded, two more police reports were lodged against him over alleged cheating.
Eng Hiap Boon, a representative of a charitable organisation, told the New Straits Times that police reports were filed in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, and in Teluk Intan, Perak.
On Oct 25, it was reported that the suspect had in April wrote a letter admitting to his deceitful act and apologised to a Chinese daily.
In the letter, he confessed to deceiving other organisations and well-wishers of some RM30,000 to pay off his gambling debt.
He said he was willing to be exposed if he repeated his mistake. ()