SHAH ALAM - Students at Universiti Malaya (UM) have reportedly been subjected to sexual harassment by one of their own academics, with allegations raised by the university's Feminism Club.
This comes as the university worked to refine its sexual harassment policy.
The academic has been accused of sending nude photographs to several students, causing widespread alarm among the student body.
The explicit images were reportedly shared across campus as a warning, before being quickly taken down.
In a statement, the UM Academic Staff Association urged for an investigation panel to be formed immediately to thoroughly and transparently investigate the incident.
It said it has made it clear that swift action by the university management was crucial to resolve all issues arising from the allegations, while ensuring the safety of students and the campus community.
"If the allegations are unfounded, the management can refute them and take the necessary steps to alleviate the anxiety and concerns of the campus community.
"UM is one of the first universities in Malaysia to adopt a sexual harassment policy and it would be a travesty if this policy became merely cosmetic, given the years of effort and advocacy required to put it into place and implement it," the statement read.
The association said there were also allegations that a senior lecturer from the same department denied the incident and took the initiative to investigate the case.