Groups unhappy with UM's isolation measures for students from China

CORONAVIRUS | Suara Siswa UM has criticised Universiti Malaya's isolation management for students returning from China amid concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak there.

The student coalition, comprising of the University of Malaya Association of New Youth, Demokrat UM and Angkatan Mahasiswa UM, said all students arriving from China are required to go through compulsory health screening and 14-day isolation at the 10th Residential College (KK10).

However, it claimed the handling of the isolation was not properly done by the university's management.

"The isolation policy was not enforced properly. The isolated students were roaming in KK10 during the isolation period, rendering the process useless.

"Moreover, the facilities in KK10 was not in par with the isolation standards, the washrooms in KK10 was shared by several rooms, equipment such as masks and sanitisers were not provided, and there was no designated disposal area for used masks.

"We also received reports that some local and exchange students were currently living in KK10 with more than 500 students in isolation," it said in a statement today.

They expressed concern that such practices may encourage the spread of the virus if any returning students were infected rather than contain it.

They also claimed that students who volunteer with the registration process at KK10 were also asked to take up tasks beyond their scope.

"The volunteers were ordered to manage the students in the health screening room, record their temperature, distribute food to them, clean their rooms all without proper medical equipment, safety assurance, nor professional guide," they said.

The student coalition added that there were also complaints that the UM management was ordering the students for isolation based on nationality rather than travel record.

"For instance, a Chinese student who has never been to China for six months was rejected to check-in to 12th Residential College. Such policy was not only a form of discrimination but an act of jeopardising students' health," they said.

They urged the UM management to apologise for the shortcomings and improve on its isolation policy. - Mkini