Student group gets cease and desist letter for using UM’s name, logo

2026-03-10 - 06:34

LMUM deputy president Ahsanul Akmal Sulam (seated, second from left) and president Ammar Daniel Noor Irwan (front row, third from right) at a press conference on the cease and desist letter served by a law firm representing Universiti Malaya. PETALING JAYA: Student group Liga Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (LMUM) has been served a cease and desist letter from the university, demanding that the group stop using the institution’s name and logo. LMUM president Ammar Daniel Noor Irwan said LMUM was alleged to have infringed on the university’s trademark rights by using the name Universiti Malaya as part of its name and across its social media platforms. He said the March 6 letter, issued through legal firm Azmi & Associates, gave the group seven days to sign a letter of undertaking (LoU) acknowledging UM as the owner of several registered trademarks, failing which the university reserved the right to sue. “Why has the university chosen legal threats against students instead of opening space for dialogue, debate, or intellectual discussion that better reflects the spirit of a university as a centre of knowledge?” he asked at a press conference here today. He said the LoU included clauses requiring LMUM to admit that it was not a society registered with the university, and that it used UM’s intellectual property without consent. LMUM deputy president Ahsanul Akmal Sulam described the move as an “intimidation tactic” against student activists, who lack funds. He said the university’s deadline placed additional pressure on the group, which had limited financial resources with which to seek legal assistance. LMUM said it was still seeking legal representation on the matter and would continue to defend the freedom of speech and the right to organise and advocate issues affecting the student community and society.