Latest news with #GempurRasuah2.0Rally
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Student duo involved in KK anti-graft rally held under Sedition Act
KOTA KINABALU: Two university students involved in last weekend's Gempur Rasuah 2.0 rally have been arrested under the Sedition Act 1948. It is learnt that Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student group leaders Muhamad Fadhil Muhamad Kasim and Aliff Danial Badrul Akmal Hisham were detained when they arrived at the police headquarters in Kepayan on Tuesday (June 24) to lodge a report about another incident. They allege that Fadhil's car was splashed with acid on Saturday (June 21). ALSO READ: Sabah cops to probe Gempur Rasuah 2.0 Rally Another representative of the group, Qistina Qaisara Syahril Akmar, claimed that the duo were arrested without their lawyers present. She accused the police of using excessive force when arresting them. 'We will update when we have more information,' she said. ALSO READ: Burning PM's caricature distracts from anti-graft rally's real message, says Bersih On Saturday and Sunday (June 22), a group of protestors led by UMS students staged an overnight peaceful rally to voice their dissatisfaction over various issues, including corruption, infrastructure and water woes. The rally started out peacefully but ended in controversy when the students burnt placards with a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday. It is also learnt that several individuals will be called to have their statements taken, while Parti Warisan legal advisor Chin Tek Ming has been summoned to give his statement at 2pm on Tuesday.
Focus Malaysia
2 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
'You reap what you sow', UMS student leader tells PMX after torching his caricature
'I BURNED Anwar's face in Sabah because I followed his example of burning (first premier) Tunku Abdul Rahman's book'. Such was the confession of t Suara Mahasiswa Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) president Fadhil Kasim who incurred the wrath of PKR Youth chief Kamil Munim for burning a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the slogan 'Madani: Protector of Sabah's Corrupt'. Added the UMS final year undergraduate of how PMX inspired him to pursue his action during the Gempur Rasuah 2.0 Rally at Lintasan Deasoka in Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu over the weekend: 'When he was the Universiti Malaya Malay Language Society (PBMUM) president, Anwar along with other student leaders demonstrated and burned the book 13 Mei: Sebelum dan Selepas by Tunku Abdul Rahman. Saya bakar muka Anwar di Sabah sebab saya contohi Anwar bakar buku Tunku Abdul Rahman. THREAD — Fadhil #GempurRasuahSabah (@fxdhilss) June 23, 2025 'Deeming the book as 'subversive', the Anwar-led PBMUM committee held a ceremony to bury Tunku's book by demonstrating and burning it in public.' The 25-year-old went on to explain that he was compelled to state his stance after he and fellow activist Aliff Danial who torched PMX's caricature have received heavy criticism from 'Anwar's sycophants, taking into account our manners, morality and methods of organising the rally'. 'I think Anwar Ibrahim after watching our video will be touched to recall his memories at the UM in the 1970s. But that's just a feeling, my friend,' penned Fadhil on his X account with a tinge of sarcasm. Defending action 'The reality is that Anwar is now Malaysia's PM, not a student activist (anymore). When he was in the opposition, Anwar would go to Sabah to bring his top-5 popular narratives. Musa Aman; timber; roads; corruption; and Sabah's rights. 'Now it's different, Anwar may be more concerned about how to maintain the strength of GRS (Gabungan Rakyat Sabah) in the Madani administration at a time when the ruling state government is embroiled in an extraordinary corruption scandal.' For the record, Fadhil had on Feb 25 escaped action after the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) decided to drop all charges against him and other individuals involved in an unauthorised assembly (first sequel of the anti-corruption rally) in front of Menara Kinabalu, Likas on Dec 31 last year. In defending criticism levelled at him by Kamil who is also PMX's political secretary at the Finance Ministry that effigy burning was not just excessive and rude but also showed that the protesters had no valid arguments to make, Fadhil reasoned: The leadership of ABIM (Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia), PKR Youth and every organisation that bootlicks Anwar Ibrahim today clearly failed to highlight the nuances of Anwar himself because for them the most important thing now is the opportunity to fan out to continue to rise to the top. Kamil Munim is the best example (apart from Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Adam Adli). Apparently, they have failed to delve into the aesthetics of students who are demonstrating on the issue of corruption in Sabah today. They are more concerned with the portrait of their figure being licked by the fire of anger than the people's wealth that is slowly being plundered by the corruptors and the UMS water crisis. – June 24, 2025
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Sabah student defends anti-corruption rally, reminds leaders of past protests
KOTA KINABALU: A Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student has defended the recent anti-corruption protest and symbolic act of burning a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, pointing out that Anwar once led similar demonstrations during his university days. In a Facebook post, final-year student Fadhil Kasim reminded the public that when Anwar was a student leader at Universiti Malaya, he had also led a protest where he and others burned a book written by Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. 'At that time, they believed the book was 'submersive', so Anwar and his group held a protest and even burned the book in public,' Fadhil wrote. Fadhil said today's student protesters are being unfairly criticised by Anwar's supporters, including groups like Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) and Angkatan Muda KeAdilan (AMK), who seem more interested in pleasing the Prime Minister than standing up for the people. He added that the Gempur Rasuah 2.0 Rally at Lintasan Deasoka in Gaya Street over the weekend, where he and a friend burned a caricature of Anwar, was to highlight issues like corruption in Sabah and the water problems affecting students at UMS. 'People were quick to attack our actions and talk about morals and manners. But they ignored the bigger issue, the people's problems and corruption,' he said. Fadhil said he believes Anwar might understand their actions if he remembered what he used to do as a student activist in the 1970s. 'But that is just wishful thinking. The truth is, Anwar is now the Prime Minister, not a student anymore,' he said. Fadhil also pointed out that when Anwar was in the opposition, he often visited Sabah and spoke about issues like corruption, logging, poor roads, and Sabah's rights. 'Now it is different. He seems more focused on keeping the GRS (Gabungan Rakyat Sabah) government strong in his Madani administration … even though GRS is facing major corruption scandals,' he said. Fadhil ended his post by identifying himself as 'the student who burned the caricature of Anwar,' and included the line: 'Madani: Protector of Sabah's corrupt.' He also added a black and white photo of Anwar, and several others, in an act of setting fire to some items on the floor.
