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LETTER | Clearer directions needed for postgraduate research during Covid-19

LETTER | I am writing on behalf of the many postgraduate students in Malaysia who need clearer directions regarding their research efforts during this pandemic.

Despite this being the second time the country is placed under a movement control order (MCO), there remain no clear directions for how postgraduate research students should continue to proceed in their work and studies.

We urgently need some clarity on this matter. Postgraduate research work is a vital activity in and of itself. Many may be unaware, but postgraduate research work is often the foundation of many research initiatives taking place in research institutions and laboratories around the world.

Postgraduate research students perform many of the vital and fundamental activities that keep research laboratories operational.

Despite their vital role, however, many postgraduate research students fund their own studies and research work themselves.

Their research activities require a lot of money to purchase research materials, such as chemicals and tools.

The lack of clear guidelines on student research work during this MCO has resulted in the suspension of research activities across many campuses. This has led to a wastage of resources, as chemicals are discarded, animals are euthanized, and data collection interrupted with no end in sight.

It is also unclear as to how postgraduate research students will be able to progress in their studies. Many of us need to complete our studies soon as we need to return to our employers once our study leave is up or need to enter the workforce soon to support our families.

Without a clear resolution of this issue or clear guidelines that allow for postgraduate research work to resume, many students are stuck in a limbo and are vulnerable to both financial and mental distress.

I call upon the Higher Education Ministry to urgently work with the universities in order to develop a clear set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can be used to allow for the resumption of research activities.

With these SOPs in place, we can continue with our research activities in a safe manner, or at least decide how we should proceed with our studies and future careers.  


The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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