UMS vice-chancellor urges students to stay away from NYE rally

Summary

• Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) vice-chancellor Kasim Mansor urges students to focus on their studies and stay away from gatherings that risk disrupting harmony.

• UMS Corporate Communications Centre distances the university from the rally’s organisers.

Ahead of the New Year’s Eve anti-corruption rally in Kota Kinabalu, Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice-chancellor Kasim Mansor urged students not to be involved in gatherings that could disrupt public harmony and safety.

According to The Daily Express, he urged students to instead focus on their final exams that would be held soon.

“UMS residents are also always advised to uphold politeness and decency, especially when interacting socially with other people by respecting others, communicating prudently, responsibly, being tolerant, and thinking well,” he was quoted as saying.

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 (above), with organisers expecting 10,000 participants to march 2.5km to the state administration centre in Kota Kinabalu.

The UMS Corporate Communications Centre also reportedly denied any involvement with the rally and its organiser.

It said the student group does not represent the institution.

“The rally also does not represent any entity within UMS including faculties, academies, centres, institutes, and university staff.

“UMS provides a platform and channel for students to discuss current issues scientifically by prioritising facts and rational and ethical discourse,” it added.

Yesterday, the UMS Student Representatives Council advised students to avoid attending the rally, citing purported safety and legal concerns.

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

The secretariat for the “Gempur Rasuah Sabah” rally has claimed that communities from Sandakan, Tawau, Keningau, and Peninsular Malaysia plan to join the march.

On Dec 20, Suara Mahasiswa UMS announced that the Kota Kinabalu police had accepted the organiser’s notice under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 to hold the anti-corruption rally outside the Sabah state administration centre.

However, it was later reported that a separate group also intends to gather at the same time and venue, prompting Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin to urge all parties to abide by the law.

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