Higher Education director-general Siti Hamisah Tapsir said this was because the public was now being offered these fake papers by irresponsible quarters in a quick and easy way.

“In Malaysia, the public can check with the higher education department or the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. If it involves overseas-based institutions of higher learning, the best way is to contact the authorities in that particular country,” she said.

Siti Hamisah was speaking to reporters after officiating the 2017 International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu near here yesterday.

Siti Hamisah was commenting on a local daily report which exposed a syndicate offering bachelor’s and post-graduate degrees, including doctorates (PhD), for between RM11,000 and RM15,000 within 24 hours after payments were made.