Adam Adli Abd Halim
Chairperson of Liga Rakyat Demokratik and former student activist who had campaigned for the protection of student rights, free education, and academic freedom
Interview Date: October 2020
Interviewer: Fikri Fisal
Adam Adli Abd Halim, more commonly known as Adam Adli, is a student activist from Malaysia. He campaigns for the protection of student rights and academic freedom. He was a student at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
On 9 January 2013, he was suspended for three semesters which ended in September, for tarnishing the university’s name and reputation, and for disturbing national security safety and public order. Following his return to the university, he was suspended indefinitely for having his case being tried in the Malaysian court of law.
On 13 May 2013, he was arrested over the statements he made during a forum held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur. He was arrested on 18 May 2013 under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act. He was remanded by the Malaysian authorities for five days until 23 May 2013 following his arrest. On 23 May 2013, he was charged under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and was investigated under Section 125b of the Penal Code, for acting in a manner detrimental to Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy.
On 19 September 2014, he was sentenced to 1-year in jail on charges of sedition in relation to a speech he made at the 13th May forum, where he urged people to take to the street to protest the widely contested election results. He appealed the conviction. In February 2016, the High Court rejected his appeal and upheld his conviction but substituted the prison term with a fine of RM 5,000.