DAPSY urges authorities to probe elements of negligence in Vinosiny’s death; Government should expedite upgrades of campus facilities

I urge the authorities to investigate if there were elements of negligence by the university management in UUM student Vinosiny’s death. Also I call upon the government to provide enough allocation in the upcoming Budget 2024 to expedite upgrades and maintenance of facilities across universities in order to guarantee students’ safety.

In May 2022, UUM student Vinosiny was found dead in a hostel. After the victim’s family waited for months, the Coroner’s Court and police finally confirmed that the cause of Vinosiny’s death was due to electrocution.

Although the tragedy happened in May 2022, police only revealed the autopsy report recently. Apart from prolonging the family’s suffering, the police’s unsatisfying delay in its investigation also exposed more students to safety risks.

I call upon the authorities to investigate if there were elements of negligence by the university management or relevant units, or whether the maintenance of facilities is carried out regularly. This will ensure that justice is served and prevent any tragedy from repeating in the future.

If the facilities safety report or investigation proves that the university management or any agencies did not inspect or maintain the facilities on a regular basis and caused the tragedy, the Ministry of Higher Education and the government to take stern actions against the perpetrator in order to demonstrate the government’s resolve in defending the safety and rights of students and academics.

Given that the government will table Budget 2023 next week, I also call upon the government to provide enough allocations to upgrade and maintain the dilapidated facilities in all universities as soon as possible.

While the facilities provided to the highest university management are often in perfect shape, the facilities and hostels used by students are often problematic or faulty. Here are some incidents that concerned many students:

1. In 2015, UKM students faced water disruptions.
2. In 2021, a fire broke out at a hostel in UUM.
3. In 2022, a USM student fell to his death while trying to retrieve his clothes. It was suspected that the corridor pillar which he climbed over was too old and couldn’t support him.
4. In 2022, a fan in a UM hostel caught fire all of a sudden. Luckily, no students were injured.

The “Malaysia Madani” concept introduced by the new government comprises transparency, which is also a key principle in promoting good governance. Therefore, the government and authorities should uphold the principles of openness and transparency in dealing with matters involving student safety. Also, the government must provide enough allocations for upgrades and maintenance of facilities across universities and expedite the process to demonstrate that government does not compromise on matters involving student safety.