GEORGE TOWN – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has issued a public apology over the stand taken by the management of its hostel after it was accused of invading female students’ privacy by having late-night spot checks conducted by men.
The issue was brought to the university’s attention when female students from the Desasiswa Saujana hostel spoke of the checks on the “USM Confessions” Facebook page.
The matter was exacerbated when the hostel management, in a May 30 response, said the students could move out if they were dissatisfied.
After Vice-Chancellor Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan denounced the “unprofessional” reply, female dorm residents again took to the Facebook page, saying an apology should come from the Desasiswa Saujana management instead of the varsity.
The hostel officials are accused of being rude and trying to unlock doors when the students inside were putting on clothes.
“How will Saujana make sure that this won’t happen again (since this is not their first case)? We need a clear resolution from Saujana,” said one student, adding that the real culprit has not apologised.
Another said the officials conducting the spot checks should not be rude, as some students are not attired “appropriately” at night.
If you need to conduct a spot check, let women do the checks at female blocks. Why appoint male officers to pay us a sudden visit? Although there was one lady accompanying them, it doesn’t make much difference.
“You knocked like I owed you money. Please, could you just allow us at least a few seconds to get the door?
“You could wait a few more seconds, at least for us to get dressed properly, but all you did was try to unlock our door. Really?
“This is the way you treat your students/residents? We are humans, too. We have feelings. And the feeling of being ‘scanned’ is not comfortable at all. Please be considerate.”
Using master key to open door
After USM issued its statement of apology today, a student claimed that one female and two male officers carried out a surprise spot check at the female hostel at 10am.
The student said Muslim residents who were not wearing their headscarves came out of the bathroom only to bump into the male officials.
“They also knocked on the door so vigorously that some of the girls shouted ‘wait’, but didn’t have enough time to get dressed properly to open the door. (The officials) attempted to use their master key to straightaway unlock the door.
“They never clarified why (they) did the spot check. We didn’t get any notice, and we aren’t even sure if they’re real officers.”
In his statement, Faisal agreed that the response by the hostel management is uncalled for.
“We never actually went after them (students) or threatened to remove them from the residential college. They are allowed to stay.
“I told them (hostel management) not to simply issue statements. Secondly, it was not professional, and it was emotional (for them to make such a statement). We would not say that.”
He said spot checks are conducted to ensure hostel residents abide by the rules, and that “squatters” – people who are not supposed to be on the premises – are not there.
He assured that such late-night checks will not happen again, nor will the male warden involved in last month’s spot check be allowed to do so in the future. – The Vibes, June 3, 2021
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