KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — The University of Sydney has issued an apology after initially informing a transgender Malaysian student that she could face suspension over allegations of writing messages on campus whiteboards accusing the university of complicity in genocide in Gaza.

The university attributed the threat of suspension, detailed in a misconduct notice, to an “administrative error” but clarified that misconduct proceedings were still ongoing, according to The Guardian.

The student, who has sought asylum in Australia and declined to be named due to fears of repercussions, is currently on a student visa.

She expressed concerns that the misconduct notice had heightened her fears of deportation.

On February 3, the university’s Office of the Academic Registrar accused the student of entering several tutorial rooms and using a green marker to write messages on whiteboards.

The messages reportedly included statements such as “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free,” accusations that the university invested in weapons manufacturing and “supported genocide in Gaza,” along with statistics on the Gaza death toll.

The registrar’s notice claimed that the green marker was not a whiteboard marker, making the messages difficult to erase.

It alleged the student had violated university policies, including rules on student discipline, campus access, and advertising, which prohibit graffiti and unauthorised protest activities.

The student was initially given until February 14 to respond in writing or attend a preliminary meeting. The notice warned of potential penalties such as suspension, exclusion, or a reprimand if she admitted to the conduct.

According to report, if the allegations were denied, further investigations would follow. Additionally, the student was instructed to maintain confidentiality regarding the allegations or face disciplinary action.

In her written response, the student stated she was under “extreme duress” and highlighted her asylum-seeking status in Australia due to “immense violence and persecution” in Malaysia.

She requested an extension to respond until March 21, when she would hold a bridging visa and be better positioned to address the matter.

“If the student affairs unit suspends my studies, I will be at immediate risk of deportation from Australia,” she wrote.

The student also noted that as a transgender woman, she had been denied access to gender-affirming care in Malaysia and could only obtain essential healthcare in Australia.

On Wednesday, the university issued a statement acknowledging the concerns raised by the student. It admitted to an “administrative error” in the misconduct notice regarding the penalties and said the error was being corrected. The university added that the student would be granted an extension to respond and offered support.

“We apologise for this error and any distress caused,” the university said.

Yesterday the university said it had directly apologised to the student and offered further support.

“The safety and wellbeing of our community is our prime concern at all times, and we deeply regret any confusion or distress relating to this issue,” it said.

Wendy Thompson, a queer officer on the university’s Student Representative Council, criticised the university’s actions, describing the policies used against the student as “overly punitive and discriminatory.”

“While students face increasing course cuts while paying exorbitant fees to study, they are silenced when speaking out against failings of the university,” Thompson was quoted saying.