Following Reformasi, a host of new issue-based coalitions were formed to champion civil liberties and protest repressive practices.
Student groups of diverse leanings and backgrounds banded together to call for the abolishment of the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) in 2001. On June 8, an anti-ISA rally was held at Masjid Negara, marking one of the first large-scale student protests since the 1970si.
Seven students – the “ISA 7” – were arrested. The court trial dragged on for years. Only one of the seven students were reinstatedii.
A grafitti in Kuala Lumpur calling for the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA), which has often been used to silence dissent from political leaders, activists, and academicians.
Faced with energetic anti-establishment forces, the state responded by tightening control over students and academic staff on top of the strict Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU).
The government mandated students and university staff to sign the Aku Janji pledge in 2001. The pledge promises “loyalty” and “good conduct”. Those who resisted were reportedly harassed, threatened or dismissediii.
The university administration also took control of student orientation programmes, and spread pro-establishment sentiments through booklets and compulsory seminars.iv.
New students of University of Malaysia Sabah (UMS) taking the Aku Janji pledge in 2019.
The academic community, alongside students, became more vocal post-Reformasi. University of Malaya (UM)’s Academic Staff Union voiced up support for students charged with illegal assemblies while the Malaysian Academic Movement (MOVE) actively raised the issues of academic freedom and conditions of servicev.
Some had to face negative repercussions due to their vocalness. As of October 2001, a total of 61 lecturers were warned, transferred or dismissed due to alleged “anti-government” activitiesvi.
Jomo Kwame Sundaram, a prominent economist in University of Malaya, opted for early retirement after worsening “victimisation”.
In 2003, student and youth groups formed an anti-war coalition, Gabungan Pelajar Malaysia Anti-Perang (GEMPAR)vii, to protest the American invasion of Iraq.
In 2006, a coalition of student groups, civil society organizations and political parties formed Gerakan Mansuhkan AUKUviii. They demanded:
- The repeal of AUKU and the subsidiary legislation
- A new legislation drawn up with student and staff input
- Greater freedom for student and staff involvement in on- and off-campus societies
Student leaders handed a memorandum on the abolishment of the UUCA to a representative of the Prime Minister’s Office in 2006.
To protest a new education policy on the Teaching of Science and Math in English (PPSMI) in schools, another coalition Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP) was formedix.
AUKU was amended to ease restrictions on student participation in societies off-campus. But student participation in politics remained prohibited.
An anti-PPSMI demonstration in 2009 organised by the National Association of Muslim Students of Malaysia (PKPIM) and GMP. They paraded with a ‘coffin’ as a symbol to convey that the PPSMI will cause the death of the Malay language
This is a landmark period when students took the AUKU by the horns. Several students from the University of Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) — dubbed the ‘UKM 4’ — sought a court declaration that Section 15(5)(a) of the AUKU was unconstitutional.
In 2011, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the UKM 4, declaring that Section 15(5)(a) of the UUCA AUKU was unconstitutionalx.
This led to the AUKU being amended in 2012 to allow students to participate freely in politics as long as it is off-campus.
The UKM 4: (from left) Muhammad Hilman Idham, Muhammad Ismail Aminuddin, Azlin Shafina Mohamad Adza, and Woon King Chai.
Student activism received a new wave of inspiration from youth-led movements in the Arab world, Europe and other countries. These movements exhibited social media’s potential in organising demonstrations as well as garnering sympathy across national boundaries.
Widespread social media use inspired a younger generation of Malaysians to participate in rallies championing important local issues.
Some of the major youth and student movements organised during this period were Occupy Dataran, abolishment of the PTPTN student loan, Bersih and Himpunan Hijau 2.0.
The Bersih 3.0 rally in 2012 to demand for electoral reform.
A series of sedition charges were made against politicians, civil and student activists. Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) former president Safwan Anang was found guilty under the Sedition Act for a speech made during a forum in 2013. He was jailed for 10 months, and would be acquitted in 2016xi.
About 500 students and lecturers rallied at UM in solidarity with University of Malaya’s law professor, Azmi Sharomxii, who was charged under the Sedition Act for a remark made on an online article in 2009.
Safwan Anang speaking to a crowd at the Bersih 3.0 rally in 2012.
The 1MDB scandal that rocked the world prompted several student protests in Malaysia. Four students affiliated with UM Association of New Youth (UMANY) were charged for disruption of peace after they held placards demanding the truth from the ruling governmentxiii.
An inter-university coalition called Gabungan Tangkap Malaysian Official 1 organised a rally to demand the arrest of the prime suspect, called ‘Malaysian Official 1’ in the United States Department of Justice lawsuit against 1MDB. Five student activists from UKM and UM faced disciplinary actions from the universities for their involvement in the rally, including suspension and fines.xiv.
Anis Syafiqah, UM student and chairperson of the Malaysian Graduates Union (KESATUAN), was arrested and suspended by the university for her involvement in organising the Tangkap MO1 rally.
Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) victory in the 14th General Election in 2018 ushered in high expectations of institutional reform in Malaysia’s tertiary education system.
The PH government amended AUKU in December 2018 to allow university students to participate in political activities on campusxv.
PH formed a technical committee joined by academicians, student leaders and university administration to study the abolishment of AUKU. However, the integrity of the committee came under question when Free Malaysia Today reported that several committee members were sacked without explanation in January 2020xvi.
Pakatan Harapan won the 14th General Elections in 2018, toppling the 60-year rule of Barisan Nasional.
2020 is a challenging year. As the Covid-19 virus ravaged the world, the PH government fell following an internal power strugglexvii.
While the pandemic posed an obstacle for physical demonstrations, student and youth activism persisted in a new form through online movements. One example is the #Siswajagasiswa online campaign, which mobilised university students across Malaysia to extend mutual aid to peers stranded in their campuses due to the lockdownsxviii.
A Covid-19 test at the University of Sarawak Malaysia City Campus. The pandemic has led to a movement control order in Malaysia which limited citizens’ movement to curb the virus spread.
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia). (2003). Malaysia ‘the boa constrictor’: Silencing human rights defenders. Petaling Jaya: SUARAM
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- Weiss, M. (2011). Student Activism in Malaysia: Crucible, Mirror, Sideshow. Ithaca, N.Y: Southeast Asia Program, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
- Sah, Dr Hassan ketuai bantahan PPSMI (2009, January 8), Malaysiakini. Retrieved from https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/96056
- Court of Appeal: Section 15(5)(a) violates guarantee of freedom of speech (2011, November 1), The Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2011/11/01/court-of-appeal-section-155a-violates-guarantee-of-freedom-of-speech/
- Appellate court frees former student activist Safwan Anang from sedition charge (2016, December 20), Malay Mail. Retrieved from https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2016/12/20/appellate-court-frees-student-activist-safwan-anang-from-sedition-charge/1276073
- UM students, lecturers stage protest in support of Azmi Sharom (2014, September 10), Astro Awani. Retrieved from https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/um-students-lecturers-stage-protest-in-support-of-azmi-sharom-43652
- Koh, H. (2018, June). No Politics on Campus (Rep.). Retrieved November 6, 2020, from Fortify Rights website: https://www.fortifyrights.org/mly-inv-2018-06-28/
- Koh, H. (2018, June). No Politics on Campus (Rep.). Retrieved November 6, 2020, from Fortify Rights website: https://www.fortifyrights.org/mly-inv-2018-06-28/
- UUCA amendment passed, allows students' political involvement on-campus (2018, December 10), New Straits Times. Retrieved from https://www.nst.com.my/news/government-public-policy/2018/12/439333/uuca-amendment-passed-allows-students-political
- Education ministry sacks members of panel studying abolition of varsity act (2020, January 23), Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved from https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/01/23/education-ministry-terminates-members-of-committee-on-uuca-abolition/
- How Pakatan lost half its states, after prematurely ceding federal power in the 2020 political crisis (2020, May 20), Malay Mail. Retrieved from https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/05/20/how-pakatan-lost-half-its-states-after-prematurely-ceding-federal-power-in/1867814
- #SiswaJagaSiswa: Twitter dibanjiri bantuan kepada pelajar terkandas (2020, October 3), Astro Awani. Retrieved from https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/siswajagasiswa-twitter-dibanjiri-bantuan-kepada-pelajar-terkandas-261958
