Student leader Fahmi Zainol may be speaking outside the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) campus, but that did not stop a group from harassing him verbally.

Fahmi, who is in Penang as part of the “Jelajah Mahasiswa” roadshow, confirms that the incident occurred as he and other speakers were about to address the small crowd at a kopitiam just outside campus, after being driven out of USM earlier.

“The group was not satisfied with this and did not allow us to continue with the forum.

“We were not able to speak as they were shouting at us,” Fahmi ( in red shirt ) told Malaysiakini .

The Universiti Malaya Student Union (PMUM) president also said that those responsible for causing the ruckus were from two groups – Persatuan Mukabuku Pulau Pinang and Perkasa.

This was the same team which disrupted the anti-Sedition Act rally at the Speakers' Corner in Georgetown in October, claims Fahmi.

In today’s incident, the student leader said the hecklers asked the students to ‘go back and study first’.

There were also shouts of them being “traitors to the (Malay) race” and “a disgrace to the Malays”.

Although there were attempts at physical assault, Fahmi said they managed to remain unscathed.

“We then went to a nasi kandar restaurant and managed to complete the forum without further disruption,” said Fahmi, who confirmed that 50 people had attended the programme.

Earlier, USM security officers had disrupted the forum ( right ) which was organised by the USM Student Progressive Front (SPFUSM).

The event was scheduled to start on campus grounds at 2pm.

The other two speakers were PKR’s Bakar Arang state assemblyperson Simon Ooi Tze Min and UM alumni Zainulfaqar Yaacob.