By M Rajah | Sarawak Tribune |
The loss of a young woman who was on the path of academic pursuit and a bright future is a truly heart-breaking tragedy.– Hannah Yeoh, Youth and Sports Minister
On the morning of June 25, the nation awoke to the horrifying news that Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara, a bright, promising 20-year-old physiotherapy student, had been brutally murdered in her hostel room in Cyberjaya.
For my family, who knew her family very well, and who have shared bonds stretching back to the Sixties in Sibu, the shock is profoundly personal. Yet even for strangers, this tragedy echoes as an indictment of our collective failure to protect our young people.
Maniishapriet should have been safe. She was studying for an exam, alone because her housemates had left for the holidays. The hostel, part of the Mutiara Ville condominium in Cyberjaya, was supposed to be safe.
Instead, it became the scene of unspeakable violence. The assailants not only took her life but also stole her belongings. Investigators later discovered that CCTV cameras in the corridors were non-functional, and security patrols were virtually non-existent.
This is not an isolated incident. Over recent years, Cyberjaya, a city that markets itself as Malaysia’s ‘smart city’, has seen a disturbing rise in violent crimes, including robberies and murders. And a spot for drug addicts.
Maniishapriet’s death is the latest in a string of cases that should compel every university, government agency, and parent to ask: Why has it taken a life for us to pay attention?
In the aftermath of this tragedy, much of the official response has centred on investigating the crime itself. The police have been efficient and fast in detaining three people, including two women, over the murder.
I pray that the full force of the law is brought to bear on the three perpetrators, and that they receive the harshest possible punishment for their heinous crime. But focusing only on catching the perpetrators ignores the deeper, systemic problem: an utter lack of safeguards in off-campus student accommodation.
As someone who has known Maniishapriet’s family for more than half a century, I struggle to express the sorrow this tragedy has brought. I think of her parents, having their beloved child taken away from them because of failures that could, and should, have been prevented.
For the full report, go here. (Sarawak Tribune, 30 June 2025)
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