UMS student council cautions against New Year's Eve anti-graft rally

Summary

• The Universiti Malaysia Sabah Student Representatives Council advises students to avoid the “Gempur Rasuah Sabah” rally on New Year’s Eve, citing safety concerns and potential legal issues.

• Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Jeffrey Kitingan supports anti-corruption efforts but cautions against the rally’s potential misuse.

• Former senator John Ambrose criticises the protest for potentially damaging UMS’ reputation and warns against political activism among students.

The Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Student Representatives Council has advised students to avoid attending the “Gempur Rasuah Sabah” rally scheduled for New Year’s Eve, citing potential safety and legal concerns.

While stating they would not stop students from participating, the council warned of possible provocations during the event.

They expressed concerns about issues raised at the rally, including former chief minister Musa Aman's appointment as Sabah’s governor, which they suggested might contravene the law.

“We understand the importance of combating corruption, but we must also prioritise student safety and respect for the law,” the council said, as reported by the Daily Express.

The rally, organised by student group Suara Mahasiswa UMS, aims to demand the resignation of Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and for the MACC to expedite its probe into corruption allegations involving the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led administration.

The protest is set to begin at 2pm outside the UMS campus, with organisers expecting up to 10,000 participants to march 2.5km to the state administration centre in Kota Kinabalu.

Complicating matters, another group, Sekretariat Himpunan Bangkit Sabahan, has reportedly planned a counter-demonstration at the same time and venue.

Concerns from other leaders

Meanwhile, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Jeffrey Kitingan expressed reservations about the rally, supporting anti-corruption efforts while cautioning against potential misuse of the event by organisers.

According to Daily Express, he also highlighted the risks of misinformation spreading through platforms like WhatsApp, undermining public trust in leadership.  

Former senator John Ambrose voiced stronger criticisms, warning that UMS’ reputation could suffer from being associated with such protests.

He accused a “small group” of students of focusing on political grievances rather than their studies and compared their actions to recent violent protests in Bangladesh, which destabilised the government.

He contrasted UMS students with their private university counterparts, who were focused on academics and contributing to their families and society.

Ambrose also noted that Musa’s appointment as the new Sabah governor was made with the Agong’s consent after due diligence.

On the mining scandal raised by the protesters, he called for patience, emphasising that the matter was under MACC investigation.

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