A TOTAL of 37 incidents resulting in the deaths of university students were recorded nationwide over a five-year period up to last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told, with authorities confirming that none of the cases involved criminal acts.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim said the fatalities comprised 18 cases involving accidents and sudden deaths, and 19 other cases, stressing that no incidents related to crime had been documented during the period under review.
“No cases involving crime have ever been recorded. Over the past five years, the number of cases recorded is relatively small, but of course, if possible, we would want them not to occur at all.
“For future improvements, we are continuously strengthening new measures, including issuing official directives to all public and private higher education institutions to carry out comprehensive and periodic safety inspections,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Khairil Nizam Khirudin (PN-Jerantut) during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.
Elaborating further, Adam said the ministry is strengthening safety protocols across public and private higher education institutions, including comprehensive reviews of campus and residential security systems.
This encompasses assessments of closed-circuit television coverage, the installation of additional cameras where necessary, and ensuring that walkways are well lit and secure.
“Then we will also ensure there are reviews of standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to safety and emergencies, including procedures governing visitor entry and exit at residential colleges, as well as rapid response measures should any incident occur.
“A reference manual on the application and use of non-university-owned vehicles has also been developed in collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the Public University Student Welfare Task Force to ensure that the use of vehicles is carried out in a planned and transparent manner and complies with financial safety and governance standards,” he said.
He added that close cooperation has been established with the Royal Malaysia Police and local authorities to enhance the presence of community policing and increase security patrols in and around campus areas.
“All these measures are our efforts to ensure that in the short, medium and long term, student safety continues to be safeguarded and our campus communities remain secure,” he said. - February 25, 2026
