By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 27: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Women chief Kho Teck Wan has called on the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources to urgently reexamine and establish stringent safety standards for all university housing, including dormitories and hostels, following the tragic death of 20-year-old physiotherapy student Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara.
In a statement today, Kho expressed deep sorrow over the death of Maniishapriet, who hailed from Kuching and was found dead in her condominium unit in Cyberjaya on Tuesday (June 24).
She noted that preliminary police investigations revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. Authorities also confirmed there was no sign of forced entry, while three suspects, including the boyfriend of the victim’s roommate, have been arrested for investigation.
“It is extremely troubling to learn that the condominium corridors were not equipped with functioning CCTV cameras, and the lift surveillance system was also inoperable,” she said, describing the conditions as unacceptable.
“With overwhelming concerns over the lack of safety measures including non-functioning CCTV and dimly lit common areas, higher learning institutions must conduct comprehensive investigations into the living conditions of their student accommodations, and carry out immediate rectifications.”
Kho, who is also a political secretary to the Premier of Sarawak, emphasised the need for routine audits and enforcement of security protocols to protect students, especially those living alone.
Citing multiple studies and official sources, she pointed out that a significant majority—between 60 to over 80 per cent—of sexual assault cases in Malaysia involve perpetrators known to the victim, though she noted that in this particular case, police have so far found no evidence of sexual assault.
“While we await the outcome of a full investigation, I urge the authorities to act with utmost transparency and handle the case with sensitivity and respect toward the victim and her family. Justice must be served,” she emphasised.
Kho stressed that the incident should serve as a wake-up call to all higher education institutions in Malaysia to reassess the safety and security measures of their student housing facilities.
“We can’t wait for another incident to happen to take action. Frequent audits must be conducted by the authorities to examine the function and effectiveness of all safety systems to ensure the personal safety of individuals staying in these buildings,” she added. — DayakDaily
