Riot to take legal action against DAP MPs over fake degree allegations

(The Star) – Human Resource Minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem will take legal action against DAP MPs Ong Kiang Ming (Serdang), Zairil Khir Johari (Bukit Bendera) and Justin Tan (Stampin) over allegations that the Barisan Nasional lawmaker’s degrees are fake.

“I strongly rebut the content of their statement. Because it is done outside the Dewan Rakyat, what I will do is I will let my lawyers handle this,” he told reporters on the sidelines of Parliament here Wednesday.

He added that it was a “serious defamatory” allegation.

“My first degree in Human Resource was from Hertfordshire, London; and so was my Masters in Human Resource. That’s why I’m in the Human Resource Ministry.

“As a responsible minister, I have to rebut as this is defamatory. I will let my lawyers handle this.”

Ong had, with the other two MPs, earlier in the day accused both Riot and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Ewon Ebin of having fake degrees.

Ong said that on the Human Resource Ministry website, Riot was listed as having degrees from the Chartered Institute of Business Management in Ireland, and Preston University in the United States.

“Preston University is a well-known bogus university as reported by numerous newspaper reports,” he told reporters, adding that he could not even find the website for the Chartered Institute of Business Management Ireland.

Ong urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to ask the duo to resign if he was serious about the integrity of his Cabinet.

On the issue of Ewon, Riot had no comment.

“I only know about myself.”

He said he did not know where Ong got the information about the “fake degrees” and that wherever they got the information was immaterial.

“When the PM appoints somebody to his cabinet, he will make sure that his choice can carry out the work. And the work of the Human Resource Minister is not simple,” said Riot.