A young Malaysian photographer who fell victim to an elaborate National Geographic scam has received encouragement and continued support from a prominent political figure. Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran, president of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), told the photographer not to give up on his dreams, saying "when one door slams shut, 10 others swing open."

The controversy began several weeks ago when 32-year-old Tinesh Sritharan believed he had been selected for National Geographic's prestigious Explorer program in Kenya. Excited about what he thought was a legitimate opportunity, Sritharan reached out to Senator Dato Sivarraajh Chandran through Instagram direct messages to share the news. He presented what appeared to be an authentic acceptance letter and email correspondence from the renowned publication.

Impressed by the young photographer's apparent achievement, Sivarraajh arranged a meeting with MIC President Vigneswaran. The political leader was thrilled to meet an ambitious young Malaysian Indian and decided to support Sritharan's supposed assignment with RM15,000 in funding for his trip to Kenya. The substantial financial backing demonstrated the organization's commitment to supporting what they believed was a significant career opportunity for a member of their community.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn when National Geographic officially confirmed that the letter was completely fabricated. The revelation exposed Sritharan as the victim of an elaborate scam designed to deceive both him and his supporters. Despite the embarrassing revelation, Senator Sivarraajh maintained his support for the photographer, stating, "Look, if the kid got conned, we feel bad for him. Nobody should have their dreams messed with by scammers."

MIC officials made it clear they don't hold Sritharan responsible for the deception. "The scam is in the letter, not the kid," explained Sivarraajh, who previously served as a Member of Parliament for Cameron Highlands. The organization's leadership emphasized that the young photographer was a victim rather than a perpetrator of fraud. They encouraged him to make the most of his time in Kenya and return home with photographs that would make everyone proud.

According to Sivarraajh, President Vigneswaran has no objections to the photographer continuing his work in Kenya, despite the fraudulent nature of his original invitation. The MIC leader's advice was straightforward: don't let this setback destroy your dreams. Since Sritharan was already in Kenya when the scam was exposed, the organization encouraged him to use the opportunity productively and focus on creating meaningful work.

The scam was first exposed by professional photographer Syahrin Abd Aziz, who identified several major red flags in Sritharan's story. Syahrin pointed out that legitimate National Geographic assignments don't require photographers to fund their own expenses, and he noticed that some of Sritharan's supposedly wild animal photographs were actually taken at Zoo Negara in Malaysia. Additionally, nobody in Malaysia's close-knit photography community had heard of Sritharan before his supposed National Geographic selection.

Syahrin emphasized the difficulty of securing genuine assignments from National Geographic, explaining that the publication typically works only with established photographers who have extensive experience and powerful portfolios. "Getting an assignment from National Geographic isn't easy – you need a powerful portfolio and extensive experience," he stated. He noted that the publication rarely collaborates with newcomers, preferring to work with photographers who are already well-known names in photojournalism.

The professional photographer also highlighted standard industry practices that were missing from Sritharan's case. When National Geographic assigns legitimate projects, they provide representatives to work with photographers and cover all associated costs. They never require photographers to pay their own expenses for official assignments. "In Malaysia's photography scene, we all know each other, so whatever we do, the community will find out," Syahrin explained, emphasizing how the tight-knit nature of the professional community helped expose the fraud.