PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has contacted several universities whose students are allegedly involved in the “sugar baby” activities, to obtain information on the validity of data that has been published in several media.
Its Director-General Prof. Datuk Dr Husaini Omar said the Ministry took seriously the revelations made by The Star Online on the “student programme” website and Facebook reports about the sharp increase in the number of university students involved in these activities.
“In this case, the university explained that there are many doubts about the data submitted,” he said in a statement, Sunday.
He said the Sunway Education Group stated that it was quite impossible that 45 per cent of Sunway University students were involved as sugar babies, as the number of Sunway University students at present is only about 7,000.
“Therefore, the report published by the media that a total of 3,105 Sunway University students were involved in sugar baby activities is not reasonable.
“On Feb 10, Universiti Teknologi Mara also lodged a police report to deny the report by the media,” he said.
Husaini said the MOHE, together with university authorities, would address this issue more effectively.
He said the university authorities would conduct detailed internal reviews to ensure that what was reported by the media is handled as best as possible.
“The MOHE will also carry out engagement sessions involving the Ministry of Youth and Sports; Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development; Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission as well as related non-governmental organisations so that a continuous and comprehensive programme can be designed to ensure the personality of students and the image of the institutions of higher learning in Malaysia are maintained,” he added.
Meanwhile, a police report has been lodged over the so-called increase of university and college students in Klang Valley using an application to find sugar daddies.
Bukit Aman CID Director Datuk Huzir Mohamed said the report was lodged by a public institution of higher learning.
“We have already opened an investigation paper after receiving the report.
“We have contacted the institution’s management to get further among its students.
“In fact, we urge other universities or colleges to report the matter to the police if they have such information,” he said, Sunday.
Huzir said he has instructed the CID’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) unit (D3) and the anti-vice, gambling and secret societies division (D7) to investigate the matter further.
“We have also started an investigation by checking the application (Sugarbook) to identify the activities that might lead to prostitution.
“We are investigating under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for making statements that lead to public alarm and distress as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities.
“We are conducting an investigation under Section 372 of the Penal Code for prostitution,” he added.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, said the “Sugarbook” application, allegedly used by several tertiary institution students to look for sugar daddies, leading to immoral activities, should be blocked.
He said if this was really happening among the students, the Government should take stern action against those involved, especially the application operators.
“This is something that is very sad for us. The application should be prevented from being used in our country as it encourages people to do things that are not right and violate the laws including syariah law.”
He said this to reporters when asked to comment on the issue after presenting the Musa’adah Covid-19 Fund contributions to more than 80 taxi drivers at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Baru, Sunday.
It has been reported that an increasing number of public and private university students in this country have been using the application to look for sugar daddies to earn easy money in solving their financial problems, especially during this trying Covid-19 pandemic.
Sugarbook is also said to be the biggest sugar daddy-sugar baby dating service in Asia.
Marzuk said his department would leave the matter to be investigated by the Ministry of Higher Education and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for further action to be taken.
Earlier, National Students Consultative Council President Muhammad Amir Asyraf Mohd Sabri said the statistics showed 12,705 tertiary institution students were registered with the Sugarbook application.
He also said based on records, there has been an increase of over 40 per cent in the registration of new users of the application due to financial pressures arising from the Covid-19 situation.
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