The Malaysia-based private record recognition platform found itself at the centre of controversy after a letter allegedly from the ASEAN Secretariat began circulating online.
The letter, dated 27 March, claimed ASEAN had “absolutely no connection” to ASEAN Records.
The forged letter (right)
The letter that sparked the drama
The letter alleged that certificates, awards and recognitions issued by the company were not officially endorsed by ASEAN. It also stressed that the ASEAN name and emblem are protected identifiers that cannot be used without proper authorisation.
The controversy intensified after a non-governmental organisation, Persatuan Pengguna Semenanjung Malaysia (PPSM), held a press conference on 8 May, accusing ASEAN Records of selling recognitions to SMEs for large sums of money while allegedly misusing ASEAN’s name. The group claimed the warning letter had been obtained directly from the ASEAN Secretariat.
But that was where the story took an unexpected turn.
Plot twist 1: ASEAN Records responds with registration documents
However, during a press conference on 13 May, ASEAN Records’ Managing Director, Gillian Ooi, reiterated that ASEAN Records is a legally registered company in Malaysia and holds two independent approvals to use the name “ASEAN” as a regional record certification platform:
- First approval was granted by the ASEAN Secretariat at the regional level
- Second was granted by the Malaysian Government at the national level
“This approval was issued under Reference CCAD/LSAD/UNA/2023/Vol.1/014, dated 1 December 2023, and signed by His Excellency Tran Duc Binh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs,” she stated.
Plot twist 2: The NGO is allegedly illegitimate
Furthermore, an official letter from the Registry of Societies (JPPM) confirmed that PPSM, which describes itself as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has not actually completed any formal registration procedures with JPPM.
Gillian argued that PPSM lacks the legal authority to represent consumers, given its unregistered status. Police reports have since been lodged regarding the matter.
Plot twist 3: The letter from the “ASEAN Secretariat” was fake
The letter dated 27 March, purportedly from the “ASEAN Secretariat,” has also been proven a fake. This was confirmed in another official letter dated 18 May, issued by the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs.
The official correspondence reaffirmed that ASEAN Records is a company legally incorporated in Malaysia. It reiterated that the company holds two independent levels of official approval.
What’s next?
The Executive Director of ASEAN Records also confirmed that legal action is underway and that their legal team is currently preparing the necessary documents.
Stay tuned to WORLD OF BUZZ for the latest updates.
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