UNIVERSITI Malaya (UM) did not act on an alleged sexual-harassment case against a lecturer until a police report was lodged, said a student group.

Universiti Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) took issue with UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim’s disclosure about the lecturer’s suspension until the student involved lodged a police report yesterday. 

“The UM management should (have made) a public announcement. Justice was sacrificed. Such a punishment would have little effect on the lecturer who still has a high income to live off the rest of his life comfortably. 

“Has justice been served? Or will others follow suit by making use of such a procedural loophole. 

“We simply cannot stomach the fact that the university management failed to give a verdict that will act as a deterrent,” Umany said in a statement issued by its president, Yap Wen Qing.

Rahim yesterday announced the lecturer’s suspension following an investigation carried out after the complaint surfaced in June last year.

The student involved lodged a police report recently after dissatisfaction with the way UM handled the case.

Umany also disputed Rahim’s statement that the lecturer has been suspended, noting that “by the time the verdict was given, this lecturer had already retired”.

“If so, such a verdict would only result in a lesser retirement pension… Such a punishment would have little effect on the lecturer who still has a high income to live off the rest of his life comfortably. Has justice been served?”

According to The Star, the third-year student who declined to be identified, said in her police report that the harassment by a senior lecturer in his office on June 3 last year involved him patting her left hip and gripping her forearm and upper arm.

She also said no action was taken on her case after she lodged a formal complaint with the university on July 1 last year.

The Star also quoted Universiti Malaya Student Union (Umsu) president Muhammad Haziq Azfar Ishak as saying the union was told that the university has concluded its investigation and delivered a verdict in June, in the same month the lecturer retired.

Umany disputes Rahim’s statement that no further information could be revealed because of the Personal Data Protection Act, accusing the V-C of lying and of being a hypocrite by covering up the issue.

“This is an invalid reason. We hereby strongly condemn the shameless statement made by UM V-C. The act regulates the processing of personal data in commercial transactions would be more suitable when applied to cases involving private corporations.” – July 17, 2020.