Universiti Malaya (UM) has been urged to retract the punishment imposed on four students found guilty for involvement in the TangkapMO1 rally.

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said the university should instead be celebrating the students' achievement as part of their own success.

"Does the university know that these students have won a human rights award because of that (TangkapMO1) rally?

"Clearly, the students' success in bringing the issue of corruption to the mainstream should be held as UM's success as well.

"Hence, I call for the university's administration to immediately stop disciplinary actions which obstruct student activism in universities," she said in a statement yesterday.

The four students, Anis Syafiqah Mohd Yusof, Mohamad Luqman Nul Haqim, Muhammad Luqman Hakim and Suhail Wan Azahar, were found guilty of violating UM's rules and acting in a manner detrimental to both the university's good name and public order.

Nurul Izzah also strongly criticised those who claim that the students had brought shame to the university because they were involved in the TangkapMO1 rally.

"What is the justification for calling a group of students, who were brave enough to organise a rally demanding the authorities drag Malaysian Official 1 to face justice, a shame to the country?" she asked.

Academics must stand with students

As such, she called for the public to stand in solidarity with her two demands.

The first is for academicians and NGOs to stand up for academic freedom and urge for universities to be freed from "the grip of the kleptocrat".

The right to rally is preserved in the Federal Constitution, she said, pointing out that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had held a demonstration on Dec 4 in protest of the oppression against the Rohingya.

Her second demand is for UM to immediately retract the action they have taken against the four students, as she claimed that the panel at the proceedings was not an independent panel.

She pointed out that at the last Umno general assembly, there were many students from many universities who clearly participated in politics.

"Will there not be action taken against those who showered praise on Najib?

"This is proof of bias as Anis, Luqman Haqim, Luqman Hakim and Suhail are also students and they have the right to freedom of speech as citizens," she said.

The four students are part of the student coalition Kesatuan Mahasiswa Malaysia, which organised the TangkapMO1 rally in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 27.

They were found guilty by the university on three disciplinary offences last Friday.