BETTER bus services, lower fees and improved lodgings were among 13 demands that student groups made to Universiti Malaya during a demonstration outside the chancellery of the institution today.

UM has often highlighted its rise in global and regional university rankings, but such scores held little meaning to its students.

The UM student union, along with 22 other student organisations and groups from the around the country today held a one-hour demonstration to protest what they said were deteriorating facilities and services.

“The university has enrolled 4,000 new students next year, twice the amount of people it did when I started in UM,” said UM student union president Mohd Akmal Hazieq Ahmad Rumaizi.

“How is it going to cater for 4,000 new students when its current facilities are not up to scratch?” said Akmal Hazieq in his speech to about 50 students who had gathered for the rally in front of the UM’s vice-chancellor’s office.

The inefficiency of the bus service for instance, have affected students’ wallets as they are forced to rely on either ride-hailing services, taxis or private bus operators.

“Sixty per cent of students live off campus and depend on this shuttle service,” Akmal Hazieq said.  

“Three years ago, a UM shuttle bus would arrive every 15 minutes on its main route. Now it takes one to two hours.

“If we take Rapid KL, we have to fork out RM4 per day which works out to close to RM100 per month,” said Akmal.

The union also demanded that fees for industrial training be lowered as these programmes were essentially for students to get hands-on training that would later help them in the job market.

“We also want rentals for university facilities to be waived for student associations to hold activities and programmes. What’s the use of a building called ‘Kompleks Perdana Siswa’ which is meant for students, when they charge students for using it?”  

The rally was attended by students groups from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and pressure groups such as the Academic Freedom Movement (GPA).

The union handed over their list of 13 demands to Mohd Khairi Jaafar who represented UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim.

The union will also forward their demands to the Education Ministry for further action.

“Although the government has given universities autonomy to run their affairs, student welfare issues must continue to be tackled by the ministry.”

Akmal Hazieq then had his head shaven as a symbol of his protest towards UM’s management. – December 13, 2019.