KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — Students will hold a candlelight vigil tonight to show support for 13 undergraduates who are facing disciplinary action from their universities over their participation in peaceful rallies.
Anis Syafiqah Md Yusof, chairman of student group Kesatuan Mahasiswa Malaysia, told Malay Mail Online that the vigil outside Universiti Malaya’s Kuala Lumpur entrance at 8pm tonight is intended to be in “solidarity” with these students.
“Yes, show of solidarity to all that have been called up and have been taken action on. Now there is already 13 of them,” she said when contacted today.
According to Anis Syafiqah, the list of undergraduates hauled up for disciplinary action so far include four from UM and one from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) over a Tangkap MO1 peaceful assembly, a student from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) over a Tangkap MO1 rally and the Bersih 5 rally last year.
Two others are from Universiti Malaysia Sabah over the Bersih 5 rally, while four other Universiti Malaya students had raised placards during a talk on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), she said.
She said the event tonight was organised by a coalition of several student groups.
Fahmi Zainol, a former student activist who is now the chairman of PKR’s undergraduates bureau, told Malay Mail Online that his party will be sending representatives to help the undergraduates in tonight’s vigil.
He said DAP and Parti Amanah Negara’s youth wings are expected to also help coordinate tonight’s event, also clarifying that the federal opposition are not the organisers.
Universiti Malaya will also be the venue for a dialogue session tonight between the prime minister and an expected 500 youths on the 2050 National Transformation (TN50) plan.
