More than 200 Universiti Malaya students from the pro-Mahasiswa (pro-M) faction today occupied the administration building in protest against the results of the campus polls.

NONEThe undergraduates are upset over their narrow defeat in the campus elections, which was held yesterday and alleged that the university administration had violated election procedures in favour of their rivals.

According to yesterday's election results, the pro-aspiration group, said to be favoured by the university administration, won 21 seats, four more than the anti-establishment pro-M group.

The two student factions have been fighting a tooth-and-nail battle for the control of the Students Representative Council over the past years with pro-M group winning by one seat in 2008.

NONEPro-M is demanding the elections be held again using the traditional ballot system and called for the current e-voting system to be abolished. 

Wearing red bandanas emblazoned with slogans such as 'bantah' (protest), the protestors temporary stormed vice-chancellor Ghauth Jamson’s office when he failed to meet them as requested.

Ghauth, who arrived at his office later, said that he was willing to negotiate with the 10 student representatives.

At 1pm, the two parties took a lunch and prayer break before resuming later this afternoon.

 E-voting system under fire

NONEYesterday, the atmosphere heated up as around 300 angry pro-M students gathered from 10.30pm in the lobby of the chancellor’s office in UM to protest the e-voting system.

Although the security officers tried to bar them from entry, they were unable to control the large crowd.

Although the crowd was informed by security that the vice-chancellor and other deputy-vice chancellors had returned home, they refused to believe them and insisted on an audience with the vice-chancellor.

Finally an officer brought a protestor to the chancellor’s room to prove he was not in. The officer then contacted the vice-chancellor (photo below) who agreed to meet students at 11am today for a discussion.

NONEThe Pro-M students eventually agreed to disperse at 11.15pm.

Persatuan Mahasiswa Islam UM president Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin said that the student representative council election was not merely an “election for school prefects” but a means of electing a “shadow cabinet” for the future leadership of the country.

A police patrol car was present during the night march, but the police only monitored the situation without getting involved.
There were, however, scuffles between supporters of the rival student factions.

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