Kota Kinabalu: UMS students are set to take to the streets again, with Suara Mahasiswa planning a second major anti-corruption rally, “Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0,” on June 21 and 22, to demand accountability from those in power and push for systemic reforms.
The two-day protest aims to highlight long-standing issues like the ongoing water crisis at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), which the group described as a symbol of failed governance and a “humiliation” of students’ basic rights.
“Students have had to bathe using bottled water, check into hotels just to clean themselves, and spend their own money to cover the failures of the state Water Department,” said the group’s leader, Fadhil Kasim.
Suara Mahasiswa, which organised the first Gempur Rasuah Sabah rally on Dec 31 last year, along with the “Kami Mahu Air” rally earlier in 2024, urged UMS to take legal action against the Water Department.
They accused the department of forcing students to endure harsh conditions on campus and spend their own money just to access clean water.
“The department has gone unpunished for too long,” he said.
The group also called for a complete separation of powers in the appointment of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief, criticising the current system where the Prime Minister directly appoints the MACC chief as politically compromised.
They also demanded stricter anti-corruption laws, including mandatory suspension for any minister, elected representative, or senior official charged with corruption.
They proposed caning as a punishment for serious corruption offences, describing this as a necessary deterrent to combat what they called a deeply entrenched culture of corruption.
They also accused officials of trying to “suppress student voices” through “intellectual intimidation” and public statements that create fear among potential protesters.
“Stop making cowardly and stupid statements that intimidate the public and create a false narrative about our rights,” one speaker said, directly challenging senior officials.
They said the exact locations for the rally would only be disclosed five days before the event to prevent potential disruptions.
