Curtin’s Faux Pas (plural?)

Photo downloaded from Malaysiakini

Western Australia’s Curtin University recently conferred the honorary Doctor of Letters degree on the “First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM)” Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor in recognition of “her efforts” in the development of education, particularly children’s education through the Permata Negara programme.

Many Malaysians had poured scorn over the award, see the university’s official Facebook page and also Kee Thuan Chye’s “Does Rosmah deserve the Curtin award?”

Curtin later issued an apology for referring to Rosmah Mansor as the FLOM.

As a 1973 graduate of the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now known as Curtin University), I am sure many who had walked the corridors of this institution of higher learning would have hoped the report reads like this:

“Curtin University has apologised to its alumni and undergraduates for referring conferring on Rosmah Mansor as the first lady of Malaysia, when announcing that it had conferred her with an honorary doctorate.”