KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA March 11, 2026 – Universiti Malaya (UM) has issued a legal notice to Liga Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (LMUM) through a law firm, alleging trademark infringement concerning the use of the name “Universiti Malaya” in the group’s activities and social media platforms. The notice includes a cease-and-desist letter as well as a demand for the organisation to sign a letter of undertaking within seven days to stop using the name in question.
According to reports from Malaysiakini and Free Malaysia Today, LMUM president Ammar Daniel Noor Irwan received an email on 6 March 2026 from the law firm representing UM. The student group claims that this action constitutes intimidation, as LMUM has not been officially registered as a student association under the university, and the trademark infringement allegation is considered unreasonable against a non-commercial organisation.
DAPSY National, through its Director of University Affairs Bureau Koh Ling Xian, strongly condemned UM’s action on 11 March 2026. In an official statement, DAPSY described the approach of using civil legal action against a student movement as disproportionate and clearly intended to create a chilling effect to suppress student voices.
DAPSY emphasised that Liga Mahasiswa UM is not a commercial entity nor profit-oriented; instead, it operates with very limited funds derived from donations and students’ own initiatives. They questioned whether the use of the university’s name was genuinely for commercial purposes, or whether this was merely an attempt to burden students with legal costs they cannot afford, ultimately forcing them to comply.
“A university should serve as a space for knowledge that allows differences of opinion, debate, and checks and balances, not an institution that punishes student voices through legal threats,” the DAPSY statement read. They added that UM, as the country’s premier university, should uphold its academic reputation and campus democracy rather than setting a worrying precedent.
DAPSY urged UM to **immediately withdraw the legal notice** and cease what it described as unjust action. The youth wing also expressed full solidarity with the students and stated its readiness to provide necessary support to defend freedom of expression and campus autonomy.
The issue has sparked wider discussion regarding student rights, the autonomy of student movements, and the use of legal mechanisms by university administrations against unregistered groups. LMUM is reported to be seeking legal assistance to address the matter.
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