KUALA TERENGGANU: Kuala Terengganu Umno division chief Datuk Mohd Sabri Alwi (pic) has acknowledged that what is ostensibly a “Master’s” degree stated in his biodata is actually a certificate.

Mohd Sabri, who will be standing as Barisan Nasional’s candidate in the Ladang state seat, was listed as holding a “Master in Business Advanced Leadership” from the University of Cambridge in a handout, an image of which has since gone viral on social media.

“It’s not a Master’s degree but more like a mini MBA (Master of Business Administration) certificate,” he said when contacted for his response to allegations that he made up his academic qualifications.

He clarified that the full title of the course he attended in Britain was “Master in Business – the Cambridge Judge Business School Advanced Leadership Programme”.

Cambridge Judge Business School is the business school of the University of Cambridge located in Cambridge, and not London, as listed in Mohd Sabri’s resume.

He said that he had taken the three-week course in June 2016 to improve himself.

“Why would I lie about getting this certificate? I did the work and earned it,” he said.

Mohd Sabri admitted that he only holds SPM qualifications and could not further his studies in his youth because of personal reasons.

He is also not ashamed of his lack of an actual university degree, saying that his groundwork in Ladang is sufficient proof of his capabilities to be its people’s representative.

“I have been serving Ladang for four years and the people here know me and my work,” said the 54-year-old businessman.

Mohd Sabri is set to face PAS incumbent Datuk Tengku Hassan Tengku Omar and Pakatan Hara­pan’s Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad in the polls.

In GE13, Tengku Hassan won the seat by a 924-vote majority in a straight fight against Barisan’s Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.