The student coalition Gerakan Kebebasan Akademik (Bebas) will decide tonight whether to apologise over the flag lowering incident at yesterday's academic freedom protest.

student handing memo to umno on academic freedom crowd When contacted, Bebas chief coordinator Muhammad Safwan said all the groups of the coalition will hold an emergency meeting over the debacle.

"We will decide tonight, and we will release a statement as early as tomorrow," he said.

Bebas and Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) had yesterday led 500 protestors in a march to the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to submit a memorandum on academic freedom.

However, one of the protesters had allegedly lowered a flag bearing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s portrait outside the party premises.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, who received the memorandum from the  students, has demanded the students apologise.

“The act of lowering Najib's portrait is despicable, you must apologise!” said Saifuddin on Twitter.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has also condemned the stunt and demanded an apology to the premier and Umno.