WARISAN MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis has called on the Higher Education Ministry (KPT) to urgently review university schedules that coincide with the 17th Sabah state election, warning that hundreds of Sabahan students could be prevented from voting this November 29.
The Kota Belud MP said she had received complaints and concerns from parents and students over the clash between the state election on 29 November 2025, the final examinations at polytechnics, and the convocation week at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
“This clash will put hundreds if not thousands of Sabahan students studying all over the country in a heartbreaking dilemma.
“For them, choosing between an important academic commitment and the basic duty as a citizen to vote should never happen.
"This is not just a logistical issue, it is about the democratic rights of Malaysians,” she said in a statement from Kota Kinabalu today.
She said the Higher Education Ministry must immediately coordinate new dates for key academic events across universities and colleges nationwide “to respect the democratic process in Sabah.”
“We should be making it easier for young people to take part in democracy, not the other way around.
"Such obstacles, whether intentional or not would send the wrong message and risk denying the rights of thousands of young Sabah voters,” she added.
Isnaraissah also urged the Election Commission (EC) to strengthen its coordination with the ministry before finalising any election date to prevent similar conflicts in future.
“We teach our students to be responsible citizens. Don’t punish them when they try to be one,” she said.
The issue comes after Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) was previously forced to postpone its 27th convocation, which was originally scheduled for 29 November 2025, to 30 November 2025 to avoid clashing with the state election. - October 25, 2025
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