PNUP Makassar Lecturer Allegedly Harasses 3 Female Students, Using Grade Improvement as Pretext

A rogue lecturer at Politeknik Negeri Ujung Pandang (PNUP) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, initials IS, is alleged to have harassed three female students under the pretext of helping them improve their course grades. “This case began when we, the BEM (Student Executive Board) friends, visited one of the student organisations on campus. One witness emerged saying there was a harassment case, one of the victims from the Accounting Department,” PNUP Makassar BEM President Hendra Saputra told reporters in Makassar on Friday. After receiving the information, the BEM Advocacy Division sought to verify the allegations, but no formal reports had been filed. Nevertheless, the BEM attempted to gather details about the harassment incident. “We tried to find out if this lecturer was indeed the perpetrator. It turned out that we discovered three victims who were willing to speak on the condition that the BEM guaranteed their confidentiality and did not reveal their identities,” Hendra explained. The harassment occurred when the victim students sought to retake their exams to improve their grades. However, the schedules were separated between 08:00 WITA and 10:00 WITA. Due to the victims’ concerns, they contacted each other to arrive together. During the grade improvement exam, they were separated into rooms A and B under the pretext of preventing cheating. The alleged perpetrator, according to Hendra, began his actions by approaching and embracing the victims to get closer to them. “From the victims’ statements, he (the suspect) held the victim’s head and looked at the female student’s body inappropriately, staring intently. He pulled her head, embraced the victim, then pulled her head until it was like touching her stomach. He pulled her to get close, the victim refused but was forced,” he said. Strong suspicions indicate that this student harassment case has been ongoing for a long time, with even senior cohorts mentioning similar treatment, but only these victims have dared to speak out. Following the victims’ reports, the BEM reported the lecturer’s behaviour to the Sexual Violence Prevention and Handling Task Force (PPKS) on 13 April 2026. Subsequently, the three victims were requested for closed interviews with guaranteed confidentiality on 15 April 2026. “We reported to the Task Force that there was an alleged act of violence and harassment against students, because I felt this could not be taken lightly. After the process, on 20 April a recommendation letter was issued from the Task Force, then forwarded to the campus leadership,” he said.