A doctorate, an online college, Muhyiddin & a company owned by a Puteri Umno leader

An honorary doctorate to be awarded to Education minister Muhyiddin Yassin by a little-known sports academy in the United States has been linked to the organisation's bid to secure a lucrative contract from the ministry.

In questioning the move, DAP election strategist Ong Kian Ming also revealed that the contract was given through the college's Malaysian agent, KH Sports Sdn Bhd, headed by the chief of Puteri UMNO's Langkawi division.

The United States Sports Academy (USSA) is currently involved in a bid to retrain up to 50,000 PE teachers in Malaysia in a contract worth RM1.15 billion.

But USSA president Thomas Rosandich has defended the awarding of the honorary doctorate to Muhyiddin, saying it was based on the latter's "proven track record".

"What Dr. Rosandich failed to explain is the clear conflict of interest in awarding Muhyiddin this honorary doctorate when the institution he represents, USSA, could potentially benefit from a contract worth up to RM1.15 billion if its pilot project involving the training of Malaysian PE teachers is extended and expanded," said Ong in a statement.

"No doubt such a contract would be given to USSA via its sole Malaysian agent, KH Sports Sdn Bhd whose chairwoman Hisham Suhaili Othman is the Puteri UMNO Chief in the Langkawi division," he added.

Ong cited a statement on USSA's website which said its International Diploma in Physical Education and Scholastic Sports (IDPESS) programme would include the retraining of 50,000 Malaysian teachers, adding that a pilot programme to train 1000 PE teachers last year already cost Malaysian taxpayers some RM22.9 million or RM22,900 per diploma.

"An expansion of this program to retrain 50,000 PE teachers could cost the taxpayer an additional RM1.145 billion over 5 years!" he added.

As such, he urged Muhyiddin to come clean on pilot programme and explain why his ministry chose a "predominantly online US university via a Malaysian agent whose main business is selling sports equipment and whose chairwoman is a Kedah Puteri UMNO leader".

-Harakahdaily