KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Universiti Malaya today suspended two students and slapped fines on four more for inviting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to speak on campus without university approval in October.

Fahmi Zainol, the Student Council (PMUM) president who was the main driver of the unauthorised talk featuring the opposition leader, received the harshest sentence while Pro-Mahasiswa chairman Safwan Shamsuddin was suspended for one month and fined RM300.

“I have been suspended for 2 semesters and fined RM600,” Fahmi posted on Facebook tonight.

He also told Malay Mail Online that the rest of the students were given a warning and fined RM150, except president of the university’s Muslim Students Association, Khairol Najib Hashim, who was only issued a “strong” caution.

The last of the so-called UM8, Abraham Au, was found not guilty of any charge.

Others in the UM8 that were punished are PMUM vice-president Haw Yu Hong, secretary-general Nur Syamimi Munirah, Adam Fistival Wilfrid, Haw Yu Hong, and Khairul Anwar.

On October 27, Fahmi through the PMUM went ahead with the “40 Years: From University of Malaya to Jail” talk featuring the university’s alumnus, Anwar, despite being warned by university authorities not to proceed with the prohibited event.

On that night, the 67-year-old PKR de-facto leader managed to enter campus grounds and address a massive crowd of students — despite a downpour and lockdown of the campus — on the eve of the Federal Court’s appeal hearing over his second sodomy conviction and jail sentence.

Fahmi and seven other students, now known as the UM8, were subsequently hauled up by UM on several charges for organising the talk.

The university disciplinary board initially called for a hearing on October 7, but later on postponed it several times after questioning all eight students briefly.

The talk became a flashpoint for student activism, prompting students from various public institutions to stand up and demand for academic freedom as well as to speak up on bread and butter issues affecting regular Malaysians.

Anwar’s appeal remains before the Federal Court.