KUALA LUMPUR: A professional engineer was left disheartened after a government-linked company rejected his job application due to a CGPA below 3.0, despite having 17 years of industry experience.

In a post on the Engineers Malaysia Facebook page, Ahmad Mus'ab shared that his friend, a registered engineer with a Practising Certificate, faced this setback following an interview where the hiring managers had agreed to hire him and discussed salary terms.

“After waiting three months for the offer letter, he was informed that his application was rejected because his degree CGPA from years ago was below 3.00,” Ahmad said.

He mentioned that this was a new policy introduced by the human resources department.

The position was eventually given to another candidate who had a higher CGPA but lacked comparable experience.

“It’s discouraging to see an accomplished professional being evaluated based on an academic score from over a decade ago,” Ahmad added.

A screenshot included in the post showed his friend's frustration, expressing disappointment over the time lost waiting for the job offer.

“I cleared the hiring manager’s interview, completed the IQ test, and finalized salary discussions, but HR ultimately blocked my application, leading to my rejection,” he said.

Some Facebook users speculated that factors beyond the old CGPA might have influenced the rejection, such as networking or salary expectations.

Nor Aisha Binti Toasing commented, “Your connections might not be strong. The CGPA is just an excuse. I hope things improve for you.”

Sharizal Salji remarked, “Experience should have been given priority over CGPA. Experience isn’t built overnight.”

Shahril Shaharoni noted, “It’s strange that HR makes the final call; they should screen candidates based on CGPA before interviews. The company’s process seems flawed.”