Netizens heap scorn on Help University over honorary doctorate to North Korean leader
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Netizens have expressed outrage over a private university's awarding of an honorary doctorate to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (pic) recently.
Help University vice-chancellor and president Datuk Dr Paul Chan presented the doctorate in economics to North Korean embassy officials in a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on October 3.
This was followed by a blog posting titled "Why One Obscure Malaysian University Gave Kim Jong Un An Honorary Doctorate", which was soon shared on Facebook.
The blog article poked fun at the doctorate to Kim, pointing out that his "greatest economic achievement appears to be stewarding one of the world's most dysfunctional economies".
Isaac Stone Fish, who wrote the piece, said he had contacted the university to question the decision.
"Not only did the college confirm that it granted Kim the degree, but it also sent over a statement from Dr Paul Chan, the president and vice chancellor, explaining why the university chose to build a bridge to reach the people of North Korea.
"Within six years, North Korea ‘will engage the world in many constructive ways’, Chan predicted in a statement that leaps from Socrates to Henry Kissinger to Malala Yousafzai," Fish wrote.
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| Datuk Dr Paul Chan And Datin Chan Kam Yoke |
He said Chan, who he noted “had an actual PhD in Economics”, hoped the soft, constructive approach can help North Korea and North Asia and the world to be a better place, referring to the conferment of the award.
"But let's start with offering education opportunities to the people of this country with the support of their President.
“Why deny them? Why punish them with sanctions? The people are hungry for education to change their lives. Give it to them," Fish commented.
A North Korean news report quoted Chan as saying that the degree was to recognise Kim's "untiring efforts for the education of the country and the well-being of its people, and that this is the pride of the university".
"He hoped the cooperation between the DPRK and Malaysia in education would develop in the future," the Korean Central News Agency reported.
Little is known about the young Kim, whose life details are sketchy. At 30, he is the world's youngest head of state, following the death of his father.
North Korea has long been criticised over its human rights records, as well as for its possession of nuclear weapons. - October 23, 2013.
Malaysian Insider
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