Ums Convocation Ceremony To Start One Day Later To Accommodate Sabah Polling Day

---

 
UMS board of directors chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the university initially fixed November 29 as the first day of its convocation without knowing it would coincide with the state polls. — Bernama picKOTA KINABALU, Oct 18 — Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has rescheduled its convocation one day later to November 30, to accommodate the state election’s polling day.
UMS board of directors chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the university initially fixed November 29 as the first day of its convocation without knowing it would coincide with the state polls.
“According to the law, we cannot have any programmes that would deny or obstruct people from voting. So we felt it was our responsibility to move the ceremony to November 30.
“This would allow students, families and staff to carry out their civic duty to vote,” he said.
Abdul Rahman said the decision was made in good faith to ensure that graduates and their families — many of whom will be travelling from outside Sabah — would have the opportunity to cast their ballots first before attending the university’s celebrations.
“Many are coming from far away, having bought flight tickets and made travel arrangements. It would be awkward to hold the convocation on polling day while everyone is voting,” he said.
“Let them fulfil their responsibility first, then come to UMS the next day.”
The adjustment means that UMS’ four-day convocation will now begin on November 30 instead of November 29, after initial backlash from graduates when the university announced a postponement yesterday to an unspecified date.
The University’s Facebook page was filled with students venting their anger and frustration over the decision, saying it caused financial and logistical setbacks such as non-refundable flight tickets and hotel bookings.
Students urged UMS to reconsider its decision, pointing out that many of them came from lower-income backgrounds and would struggle to bear the additional costs of rescheduling.
Yesterday, deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the convocation ceremony would not interfere with voting in the upcoming state election, despite the two events coinciding.
“Parents attending the convocation are not solely from Sabah. UMS students come from all over Malaysia, so I do not foresee any issue arising from this,” he was quoted saying. - malaymail

---