I refer to the issue of people using fake degrees, especially the danger of people using such bogus qualifications to act as counsellors at hospitals or at churches. Perhaps malaysiakini should do an investigation into this issue by checking out certain degree mill websites.

I know for certain that one individual at a heart hospital is acting as a counsellor using a purchased MA in counselling and a PhD in human relationship (as stated on his call card). He admitted that he purchased his 'degrees' within a month based on his 'life experience' and working experience. This is surely not proper, and such people, whatever 'life experience' they may have, are surely and obviously not qualified to be hospital counsellors since they have not done proper academic studies and research.

I think that people who have not done formal academic studies and worked hard at research and instead use money to purchase such 'life experience degrees' are obviously people with no principles, no self-respect, and no shame. The so-called 'apostilled recognition' by the United Nations as claimed by American degree mills is but a clever marketing ploy to con gullible people desperate for academic recognition although they have no such intellect.

It is a sad indeed that even church pastors and community and business leaders resort to the deception of purchasing bogus 'life experience degrees' to give the impression they are well- educated when the truth is that the very action (of buying fake degrees) shows that they lack educated values and ethics.

If people who have never been to the US could purchase degrees from America based on so- called 'life experience', what can we say of them other than that they are either really gullible or people with absolutely no self-respect and principles.

I think the government should make it an offence for people using bogus degrees to deceive people. If a so-called 'life experience' MA in counselling holder can act as a counsellor at a hospital, can one who buys a medical degree open a clinic? Obviously, no.

So it is a criminal deception. And anyone caught using such 'life experience' degrees purchased with money should be prosecuted for criminal deception. To further curb such practices, rewards should be offered to those who expose such deceptions not unlike for those who expose those behind pirated software.