Higher Education Ministry strengthens student safety after Cyberjaya murder

New Straits Times

3 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has implemented several follow-up actions following the tragic murder of a female student at a private university hostel in Cyberjaya.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the ministry remains committed to ensuring that all institutions of higher education, including private institutions, provide a safe, conducive, and secure learning environment, especially within accommodation premises.
In response to a question by Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) in the Dewan Rakyat, Zambry said the ministry has taken immediate and comprehensive steps to strengthen student safety and security.
These include expanding the use of the Guidelines for Off-Campus Student Management to all private institutions and ensuring compliance with existing guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The ministry is also proposing the establishment of Off-Campus Student Management Units (UPLK) in a structured manner or through the appointment of a dedicated portfolio, particularly for smaller institutions of higher learning.
"Additionally, private institutions of higher learning are encouraged to hold regular engagement sessions with Rukun Tetangga (Neighbourhood Committees), Community Crime Watch, Joint Management Bodies (JMB) of apartments and condominiums, and the police.
"The ministry is also recommending off-campus student accommodations be rented en bloc to improve security, rather than mixed-unit rental with public tenants.
"This also includes safety features at off-campus student housing, such as installing additional CCTV cameras, increasing the number of security guards, improving lighting in high-risk areas (hotspots), and identifying high-risk residential zones," he said.
Zambry added that the ministry takes the matter seriously and is committed to upholding student safety in line with the provisions under the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996.
He said the Act also places responsibility on the chief executives of private institutions of higher learning to ensure that matters related to teaching, administration, student welfare, and discipline are carried out in an orderly and safe manner, as outlined in subsection 33(a).
Zambry also noted that the ministry has introduced two key safety frameworks, which are the Guidelines for Off-Campus Student Management at Institutions of Higher Education (2021) and the Guidelines and Standards for Private Higher Educational Institution Premises (2023).
He said these documents serve as references for private higher educational institutions in providing secure and conducive accommodation for their students.
"To strengthen ongoing compliance, the Higher Education Ministry has set targets for regular inspections and monitoring of private higher educational institutions. Various inspections, compliance audits, and verifications have been carried out by the ministry, including those arising from complaints, directives, or closures.
"Student safety and well-being is a shared responsibility. It involves not just the ministry, but also enforcement agencies, institutions of higher education management, and the wider campus community.
"The Higher Education Ministry does not compromise on safety, and we will continue to address any weaknesses systematically and firmly," he said.