How rife is forgery in Malaysian embassies?

Malaysians should worry about the threat posed to national security by the apparent carelessness of our foreign mission staff.

COMMENT

This article is about greed. It is about civil servants who find that hard work does not pay and that it is easier to be conmen. It is also about a government that is lax about protecting information.

It is a story which does not inspire confidence. It makes one wonder if the same, shoddy work practices are common in our diplomatic missions throughout the world. In Malaysia, who you know is more important than what you know. This story is disturbing because of the risk to national security.

In mid-September, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) lecturer Mohamed Mokhtar Mohamad Ghani allegedly forged documents to enable his wife, Raja Mazhatul Yasmin Suraya, to apply for an extension of leave from University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Raja Mazhatul had been sent, on a government scholarship, to study for a doctorate at Monash University, and her family decided to join her. Mohamed applied for unpaid leave from UiTM and their four children were enrolled in school in Melbourne.

Mohamed initially worked as a driver at the Malaysian consulate and later ran a car hire company. He provided transport to Malaysian delegations on official business and had access to prominent Malaysians, including ministers. Whilst Mohamed ran his car hire company, Raja Mazhatul found time to run a restaurant called “Little Ipoh” in the Central Business District.

Mohamed was reportedly the managing director of Rasa Sayang Caterers. He applied, unsuccessfully, to operate the restaurant at Malaysia Hall in Melbourne.

In 2011, he allegedly obtained official writing paper from the Malaysian consulate and styled himself “assistant officer to the Consul General of Melbourne”. With this letter, he requested an extension to his wife’s leave from Unimas.

The alleged forgery surfaced in 2013, when Unimas officials contacted the Consulate General’s Office in Melbourne while they were processing Raja Mazhatul’s request for unpaid leave.

Unimas wanted to verify Mohamed’s status as “assistant officer” but in the end they apparently unearthed a can of worms.

Does it normally take Unimas two years to process a request for leave?

Mohamed had allegedly copied classified consular documents onto a USB memory stick, including personal details about consular staff. He had also allegedly forged the Consul General’s signature on the letter requesting his wife’s unpaid leave.

Last week, on October 22, Mohamed was given notice to appear in court in Australia in February 2015. He faces imprisonment and deportation. His family will be sent home in shame.

Many questions spring to mind.

Why would a man risk his and his family’s reputation by forging documents, copying classified documents and personal details? He and his family must have liked the Australian lifestyle as he was prepared to commit a crime to try to stay there. Despite the many bumiputra privileges he enjoys in Malaysia, he apparently prefers life in Australia.

What security procedures are followed in Malaysian diplomatic missions to protect sensitive documents from falling into the wrong hands? How did Mohamed gain access to these records? Did he have an inside accomplice or was security lax? He could easily have been in the pay of a foreign government or used the information for blackmail.

Why did he copy the personal details of the consular staff?

It is said that Mohamed rubbed shoulders with prominent Malaysians when he chauffeured them on official business. The irony is that one of those whom he claimed was his peer at the University of Michigan is MACC chief Abu Kasim Mohamed. Would MACC have investigated the crime as diligently as the Australians?

It seems odd that Malaysian government scholars are forbidden from attending talks by visiting opposition politicians, but are allowed to run restaurants and indulge in business ventures.

Malaysians must also wonder how Raja Mazhatul had the time and energy to run a restaurant while studying for her PhD. She was on a government scholarship and most taxpayers will be appalled by this.

This is not the first time that Malaysian teachers have been caught in the spotlight. Last March, a teacher, Shalwati Norshal was found guilty in a Swedish court of beating her children because they did not want to pray.

Malaysians expect better behaviour of their compatriots who are sent abroad at taxpayers’ expense. After the alleged attempted rape in New Zealand, the children who were abused in Sweden and this case of forgery and fraud, we are forced to wonder if there are other cases involving security at our foreign missions which have not come to light.

It was by chance that we know about the allegedly forged letter to Unimas. So, had Mohamad forged other letters from the Consular General to endorse products, or perhaps promoted his wife’s business? Malaysian ministers and foreign embassy staff have dined at Little Ipoh. Mohamed posed a risk to national security and allegedly requested leave under false pretences. Is he also guilty of unfair business practices?