Police target 19 more 'illegal' institutes
Police target 19 more 'illegal' institutes
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After sealing off the Institut Manajemen Global Indonesia (IMGI)
for allegedly selling fake academic titles, the National Police
said on Tuesday they were investigating 19 additional educational
institutions.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Saud Usman Nasution said
the 19 institutions were reportedly operating in Jakarta without
licenses from the Directorate General of Higher Education at the
Ministry of National Education.
The institutes include the International University Transfer
Program, the International Agyata Foundation, the American
Management University, the American International Institute of
Management and Technology, the Washington International
University, San Pedro College of Business Administration and
Kennedy Western University.
"Their operations are similar to that of IMGI, which offered
fake diplomas to the public for small amounts of money," Saud
said.
He said the names of the 19 institutions had been obtained
from the Ministry of Education.
The police have yet to make any arrests and are still
gathering evidence against the institutes.
IMGI was reportedly working with American World University,
Northern California Global University, Jakarta International
Management Studies and Senior University to issue allegedly
unauthorized diplomas, ranging from bachelor's degrees to
doctorates.
As the investigation proceeded into IMGI, its graduates began
to return their fictitious diplomas to the police.
Another National Police spokesman, Brig. Gen. Soenarko, said
his office received a master's and a PhD issued by IMGI in May
2001.
The academic certificates were turned in by a graduate
identified only by the initials SW.
"We promise that graduates who willingly return their
certificates will face a less harsh punishment," Soenarko said.
He said the IMGI database showed that more than 100 PhDs and
approximately 400 masters of science were issued by the
institute.
To receive the degrees, it is alleged people simply had to pay
between Rp 1.5 million (US$150) and Rp 5 million.
Several top government officials, including a former vice
president and former Cabinet ministers, along with Muslim clerics
and a number of retired senior police officers, are among the
some 5,000 graduates of IMGI.
If these graduates are found to have used their academic
titles from the unregistered educational institute, they could
face up to five years in jail or a maximum fine of Rp 500 million
(US$50,500), according to the National Education Law.
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After sealing off the Institut Manajemen Global Indonesia (IMGI)
for allegedly selling fake academic titles, the National Police
said on Tuesday they were investigating 19 additional educational
institutions.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Saud Usman Nasution said
the 19 institutions were reportedly operating in Jakarta without
licenses from the Directorate General of Higher Education at the
Ministry of National Education.
The institutes include the International University Transfer
Program, the International Agyata Foundation, the American
Management University, the American International Institute of
Management and Technology, the Washington International
University, San Pedro College of Business Administration and
Kennedy Western University.
"Their operations are similar to that of IMGI, which offered
fake diplomas to the public for small amounts of money," Saud
said.
He said the names of the 19 institutions had been obtained
from the Ministry of Education.
The police have yet to make any arrests and are still
gathering evidence against the institutes.
IMGI was reportedly working with American World University,
Northern California Global University, Jakarta International
Management Studies and Senior University to issue allegedly
unauthorized diplomas, ranging from bachelor's degrees to
doctorates.
As the investigation proceeded into IMGI, its graduates began
to return their fictitious diplomas to the police.
Another National Police spokesman, Brig. Gen. Soenarko, said
his office received a master's and a PhD issued by IMGI in May
2001.
The academic certificates were turned in by a graduate
identified only by the initials SW.
"We promise that graduates who willingly return their
certificates will face a less harsh punishment," Soenarko said.
He said the IMGI database showed that more than 100 PhDs and
approximately 400 masters of science were issued by the
institute.
To receive the degrees, it is alleged people simply had to pay
between Rp 1.5 million (US$150) and Rp 5 million.
Several top government officials, including a former vice
president and former Cabinet ministers, along with Muslim clerics
and a number of retired senior police officers, are among the
some 5,000 graduates of IMGI.
If these graduates are found to have used their academic
titles from the unregistered educational institute, they could
face up to five years in jail or a maximum fine of Rp 500 million
(US$50,500), according to the National Education Law.