SHAH ALAM, Sep 3 - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) has dismissed claims that Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, who was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), is a staff member.
It said that Fitri, whose name recently surfaced on social media claiming he is working at the university, had completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) studies at the university in 2021.
“Referring to viral social media posts concerning our former student Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin, we would like to clarify that he completed his Doctor of Philosophy studies in 2021,” UKM said in a statement on its official Facebook page.
The clarification came after allegations that were circulating on social media claiming that he is a university staff member and warned students to inform their parents.
In 2015, Fitri, then an Imperial College London student, was sentenced to five years in prison by a United Kingdom court for possessing more than 30,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse.
He pleaded guilty to 17 offences involving the possession, production, and distribution of CSAM. Fitri was then extradited to Malaysia after serving a reduced jail sentence from 18 months to nine.
UKM, one of Malaysia’s major public research universities, said it remains committed to maintaining a conducive and professional learning environment for its students.
“As a higher education institution, UKM is committed to ensuring a conducive and professional learning environment for all students,” it said.
The university also urged the public to refer to verified information when discussing matters involving its students, graduates, or staff to avoid confusion arising from unverified claims circulating online.