KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should question Pakatan Harapan leaders who have now become apologists in the fake degree controversy involving the coalition leaders.

MCA central committee member Datuk Chew Kok Woh said power has clouded the judgment of these Pakatan leaders.

“They talk of accountability but are now rationalising these acts of dishonesty.

“They are using rhetoric or silence to avoid these acts of academic dishonesty,” he said.

Chew said when the media reported the purported tertiary qualifications during the general election, they were silent over these reports but now claim that they were inaccurate.

He said he was puzzled that DAP leader Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming is now defending Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong, who is said to have obtained a Masters in Busi­ness Administration from the dubious US-based University of Akamai.

“Ng has accused the MCA president of being desperate for political ideas,” said Chew.

“He seems to have forgotten that it was Lim Kit Siang who first raised the issue of this university in 2005.”

Chew also urged Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian, who has also come under scrutiny, to come clean over the accusation that he did not graduate from Universiti Putra Malaysia.

“He should not think he can get away by just refusing to respond,” he said.

Chew said he was shocked to learn that Defence Minister Moha­mad Sabu was expelled from Uni­versiti Teknologi Mara and did not graduate as thought.

“Malaysians were led to believe that he has a diploma in culinary skills but he has now said he was kicked out,” he said.

“He merely kept quiet when the media reported he has a diploma.”

Chew said the controversy was a disgrace as Pakatan leaders were keeping mum or giving apologetic reasons.

He said both election watchdog Bersih and MP Maria Chin Abdullah had also remained silent.

“Where’s the moral high ground of Maria Chin and her Bersih associates?” he asked.