Students torch PM's caricature in 'fiery end' to peaceful KK rally

Summary

• Student activists in Kota Kinabalu burn a caricature of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at an anti-corruption rally to criticise his administration.

• The "Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0" rally calls for legal action against individuals implicated in corruption scandals, including those in the Sabah Water Department, and full autonomy for the MACC.

Student activist group Suara Mahasiswa UMS ended their “Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0” rally in Kota Kinabalu today with a fiery message - by burning a caricature of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

As part of the protest, the group unveiled a large banner bearing a caricature of Anwar with the phrase “Madani Pelindung Rasuah Sabah” (Madani Protector of Sabah Corruption), placed at a safe distance in view of the public.

Group spokesperson Fadhil Kasim said the banner symbolised a scathing critique of Anwar’s administration, which the group claimed had failed to uphold promises of institutional reforms.

“We delivered speeches, chanted student slogans, and highlighted the hypocrisy of Anwar in handling the corruption scandal in Sabah,” he said.

The rally organisers further described the burning as the culmination of the protest’s message – a stinging rebuke of the Madani administration.

“The biggest message from this assembly is a strong critique of the Madani leadership’s hypocrisy on institutional reforms and its pledge to fight corruption,” said the organising secretariat in a statement.

Challenge accepted

The rally, which began at about 1pm yesterday and continued until 11am today, saw over 100 students and supporters gather to voice their demands, primarily urging legal action against the Sabah Water Department and calling for full autonomy for the MACC.

The group also pointed to Anwar’s recent statement urging youths to take up the fight against corruption.

“Today stands as proof that students, with full idealism and courage, have taken up that challenge to fight corruption in Sabah,” the group said.

Other than Anwar, rally participants, comprising mostly university students, targeted Sabah assemblypersons implicated in the mining licence corruption scandal, as well as state governor Musa Aman.

The rally also called for firm action against corrupt individuals and the suspension of those charged.

Acid attack

Despite the banner burning, Fadhil insisted that the overnight anti-corruption rally ended peacefully with no interference from authorities.

However, he said there was an alleged acid attack last night, which damaged one of their cars and the rally organisers will be lodging a police report.

“We purposely did not lodge a report last night because we wanted to stay put on site,” he said, adding that their lawyers will be accompanying them to lodge the report tonight.

In a Facebook post last night, Fadhil said some students saw several men acting suspiciously near the car parked at Kota Kinabalu City Council.

Fadhil, who shared several photographs showing damage to a white car, claimed the men fled as soon as they were approached.

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