UM comes under fire for ‘mishandling’ sexual assault cases

Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak) today criticised the way Universiti Malaya (UM) allegedly handled sexual assault cases involving foreign exchange students.

A Japanese student had recently come forth to criticise UM for failing to adequately address his complaints, as well as those of another Taiwanese student, of sexual assault by the same perpetrator while on exchange at UM.

Known only as Yo M, the Japanese student claimed that he was urged by the university’s International Student Centre (ISC) officer to retract his police report. The officer denied Yo's allegations.

Gerak said sexual assault cases must not be covered up just to maintain the "good name" of any university.

"All complaints must be thoroughly investigated and action must be taken as soon as possible.

“If the said officers are found to have erred in their actions, the university (should) be responsible enough to offer an apology to the alleged sexual assault victims who were twice victimised - first, by the perpetrator and, second, by the very institution that is supposed to protect them,” its chairperson Zaharom Nain said in a statement...