Kota Kinabalu: Suara Mahasiswa UMS has urged Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to take legal action against the State Water Department (JANS), demanding at least RM100 million in damages over the prolonged campus water crisis.
In a statement, the student group accused JANS of misleading the public in its May 29 statement, which downplayed the severity of the water supply issue from the State-owned R13 tank — the main water source for UMS.
The group cited internal documentation and reports from UMS’s student council and maintenance unit showing that water levels in the R13 tank had dropped to zero on several days, halting supply to the campus. They also claimed this data had been officially shared with JANS and supported with photographic evidence.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});The group said the financial burden of the water crisis had been unfairly shifted onto students, many of whom faced repeated disruptions and had to bear additional costs, including tuition fees, off-campus rent, transportation, utility bills and other living expenses.
“UMS must sue JANS and the damages should be returned to the students — this is not just about water anymore. It’s about accountability and justice,” the statement said.
Earlier, Daily Express reported that UMS Vice-Chancellor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansur said the university had long been transparent about the water issue, and clarified that the R13 tank, owned and operated by JANS, had repeatedly failed to supply enough water to meet UMS’s daily needs.
Kasim said if water levels had been sufficient, students would not have resorted to holding demonstrations.
Suara Mahasiswa President Fadhil Kasim welcomed the VC’s remarks and said it marked an important shift in the university’s stance.
“I believe the VC is playing his role as the head of the university, and it’s important that his stance remains consistent. This is the first time he has made such a statement, and we welcome it,” he said.
“We will be meeting the VC tomorrow at 2pm to exchange views, possibly touching on the water issue.”
The student group is organising Perhimpunan Aman Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0, a peaceful rally scheduled for June 21-22 in Kota Kinabalu to demand systemic accountability and a solution to longstanding infrastructure problems.
They also alleged that students involved in past activism had been called in by police and faced threats — but maintained that they would not be intimidated in their push for justice.
