KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 – Off-campus student accommodations should undergo proper screenings and be restricted to student tenants only, Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said.

He emphasised that shared residences with members of the public could compromise student safety, especially for female students, and urged universities to allocate dedicated blocks or areas exclusively for them.

"In short, universities must dedicate a block or area for students only, especially female ones,” he was quoted telling The Star.

"If an apartment or condominium used as an off-campus hostel also houses tenants who are members of the public, security will not be at an optimum level.”

He said universities must also install sufficient security infrastructure, including CCTV cameras, guards and access card systems, at student lodgings.

"It will greatly assist in security monitoring and ensuring the safety of students,” he said.

Police will also work with the management staff of universities to highlight the importance of these security measures, he added.

Hussein said student safety must always be prioritised, and must not be taken for granted.

His remark came after the murder of Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara, a Bachelor of Physiotherapy student from Kuching, at University of Cyberjaya.

She was found unconscious in her off-campus accommodation on Tuesday morning, and was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived at the scene.

Sepang police said there were no signs of forced entry or sexual assault but reported that the victim had suffered head injuries consistent with blunt force trauma.

Three suspects have since been remanded for one week starting Friday, to assist in the investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.