We, the undersigned organisations and endorsers, strongly condemn the continued intimidation tactics and acts of harassment being perpetrated by the State and its agencies against Universiti Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY) members and student activists linked to the group. We call on the relevant authorities, including Universiti Malaya (UM) and other entities, to stop investigating and questioning these student leaders, and uphold academic freedom and our constitutional right to freedom of expression and free speech.

UMANY is being investigated by both ​UM and the ​police over a ​statement it issued following the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s advice that all Members of Parliament should support Budget 2021. Since then, seven members of UMANY, its president and vice-president, as well as two other student leaders, have been called in for questioning. A former UMANY president was also ​detained overnight for recording a police officer attempting to search the house of an UMANY leader, and will be charged tomorrow under Section 188 of the Penal Code. Meanwhile, the Public Service Department (JPA) has asked for show-cause letters from six JPA-sponsored UMANY members over their purported involvement on the matter. UMANY’s statement has since been ​retracted​.

We are disappointed that the State and its agencies, including the police, continues to arbitrarily stifle freedom of speech and expression in Malaysia, a ​rising trend that has become apparent since the change of government earlier this year. We wish to remind the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government that freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed for all Malaysians under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, and should not be disproportionately restricted simply because said speech or expression challenges norms or presents critical or alternative views.

The right to express views and ideas freely, without fear of interference or persecution, is an essential part of democracy. Respectful debates and expressions help us examine and critically challenge conventional wisdoms and promote heterodox views. In doing so, we foster a more informative and critical society, one that is able to articulate their own views and alternative views, safely and openly.

We risk spiralling into an undemocratic state if our government continues to censor and restrict speech and expression without due process and at the expense of fundamental civil liberties of its peoples – as is the case with the UMANY investigations. ​Articulating an academic view based on the Federal Constitution, as was the case in this instance, should not warrant police action. Recording a police search of a student activist’s house also should not result in criminal sanction. The police, despite issuing a ​statement ​to clarify their actions in arresting the student activist in question, have ​failed to justify why ​taking videos or photographs of police investigations could affect the confidentiality of said investigations.

Furthermore, we do not want to foster an environment ​which undermines accountability and good governance and where people are prohibited from questioning or criticising the government over public affairs.

Academic scholarship, on the other hand, cannot flourish in an atmosphere of censorship and disproportionate restriction of speech and expression. An open and robust environment for sharing ideas freely is crucial for learning as it allows students to think critically, challenge and engage with different perspectives. Students must remain free to inquire, study and evaluate, and gain new maturity and understanding. The participation of students in intellectual debates concerning the state of affairs of the country, therefore, should be encouraged, not discouraged. Higher education institutions must ensure that they are moulding a thinking society and supporting the promotion of multiple views – not investigating such views.

To that end, we call on the following recommendations to be adopted at once:

1. The police and UM must, without any delay, drop their respective investigations into UMANY, its members, former members and associated student leaders, over UMANY’s statement;
2. JPA should uphold academic freedom and immediately withdraw the demand for show-cause letters from the JPA-sponsored UMANY members over their alleged involvement over the matter;
3. The relevant authorities must pledge to protect UMANY members who are being ​harassed, cyberbullied or threatened online over their statement and ensure that those who are making such threats are dealt with in accordance with established international standards and practices, and;
4. The PN government must ensure that freedom of expression and speech is upheld and protected at all times for all Malaysians by repealing repressive laws used to arbitrarily restrict these freedoms, in particular, the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

12 November 2020

Jointly issued by:
Amnesty International Malaysia
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
Suara Rakyat Masyarakat (SUARAM)

Endorsed by the following civil society organisations:

1. Agora Society
2. Aliran
3. ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR)
4. Beyond Borders Malaysia
5. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
6. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
7. Community Women and Workers Network (CWWN)
8. Demokrat UM
9. EMPOWER Malaysia
10. ENGAGE
11. G25 Malaysia
12. Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM)
13. Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo
14. Greenpeace Malaysia
15. Growing Emerging Leaders (GEL)
16. In Between Cultura
17. Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM)
18. Johor Yellow Flame (JYF)
19. Justice for Sisters
20. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)
21. KLSCAH Youth
22. LLG Cultural Development Centre Berhad
23. Malaysia Muda
24. Malaysian Medics International (MMI)
25. Malaysian Students’ Global Alliance (MSGA)
26. Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity Foundation (MAJU)
27. National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE)
28. North South Initiative (NSI)
29. Oriental Hearts and Minds Study Institute (OHMSI)
30. Our Journey
31. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
32. Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)
33. Persatuan Kesedaran dan Keadilan Iklim Malaysia – Klima ActionMalaysia KAMY
34. Persatuan Komuniti Prihatin Selangor & KL (PRIHATIN)
35. Persatuan Penduduk Galing Besar Kuantan
36. Persatuan Prihatin Masyarakat Lipis
37. Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia (PROHAM)
38. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
39. Pertubuhan SiraguGal
40. Pertubuhan Solidariti Hijau Kuantan
41. Pusat KOMAS
42. Research for Social Advancement (REFSA)
43. Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA)

44. Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group (SAWO)
45. Sarawak Association for Peoples’ Aspirations (SAPA)
46. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
47. Sisters in Islam (SIS)
48. Society for Equality, Respect And Trust for All Sabah (SERATA)
49. Student Unity Front UKM
50. Taiwan Alliance for Thai Democracy
51. Tanah Dahai
52. Tenaganita
53. Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy
54. Thai Students in Europe for Liberal Democracy
55. The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (BERSIH 2.0)
56. Tindak Malaysia
57. UM Law Society
58. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
59. Youth Era Malaysia

Endorsed by the following individuals:

1. Yang Berhormat Wong Chen
2. Dr. Vikkineshwaran Siva Subramaniam
3. Ahmad Ghazali bin Abu Hassan
4. Alan Tan
5. Ambiga Sreenevasan
6. Andrew Khoo
7. Anson Liow
8. Anwar Fazal
9. Ari Saw
10. Aw Swee Keng
11. Azad Razack
12. Beverly Joeman
13. Caesar Loong
14. Carlson Chew Yee Herng
15. Chacko Vadaketh
16. Chan Pei Wen
17. Chan Suay Hwa
18. Chang Hung Wai
19. Cheah Khui Chen
20. Cheong Chan Kiong
21. Cherished Ng
22. Chia Jia Xuan
23. Chieng Xing Tien
24. Chiew Chin Hang
25. Chiew Choon Man
26. Chin Kah Shen
27. Chok Pit Yuen
28. Chong Jia Jing

29. Chong Zhao Xian
30. Choo Kim Seng
31. Chua
32. Chuah Wen Jie
33. Chwa See Kiap
34. Daniel Chew
35. Daniel Lim
36. Dean Lau Sheng Ting
37. Dennis Ignatius
38. Edward Ignatius Victor
39. Eng Teit Goy
40. Eric Low
41. Esther Kueh
42. Faye Lee Chin
43. Feisal Kamil
44. Gan Jay Shen
45. Gan Jia Seng
46. Gan Xhi Yan
47. Goh Ming Dao
48. Goh Mun Yee
49. Hiew Wen Tian
50. Ho Chi Yang
51. Ho Yock Lin
52. Hoo Yi Zhi
53. Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar
54. Irene Xavier
55. Ismail bin Ibrahim
56. Jaffar Yusof
57. James Bawi Thang Bik
58. Jen Shaun Wong
59. Joey Siu
60. John Ku
61. John Phoon
62. Jonny Wong
63. Joseph Hamzah Anwar
64. Jules Rahman Ong
65. Julien Chen Lip Syn
66. Kamarul Zaman Abd Kadir
67. Kaviarasan
68. Kenn Yeap
69. Khoo Kai Wen
70. Koh Kar Weng
71. Kuan Perk Siong
72. Lam Yan Ci
73. Lawrence Teen
74. Lee Hao Jie

75. Lee Soo Wei
76. Lee Wei Jie
77. Lee Xiang Sheng
78. Lee Yong Xing
79. Leong Wei Quan
80. Liau Pin Chun
81. Liew Liang Hong
82. Liew Weng
83. Lim Chaw Zen
84. Lim Chin Chye
85. Lim Chunwei
86. Lim Jia Yi
87. Lim Ru-Yi
88. Lim Seng Keat
89. Lim Teng Guan
90. Lim Yu Dian
91. Loh Xianda
92. Mah Jun Hoong
93. Mahes Balan
94. Marina Mahathir
95. Maryam Najwa Abd Rahman
96. Mingshuen
97. Monica Heng
98. Muhammad Naqiuddin bin Nazri

99.Muhammad Rafique Bin Rashid Ali

100. Nabilah Aryssa binti Mohamad Askandar
101. Nathaniel Tan
102. Ng Hao Yi
103. Ng Leanne
104. Ng Teng Yi
105. Ng Xiang Yi
106. Nurul Syahirah
107. Paul S
108. Pram
109. Raymond Chin
110. Raymond Lee
111. Serina Lim
112. Shaun Tan
113. Sharon Ng She Nee
114. Siah Kwong Liang
115. Siti Kasim
116. SM Muthu
117. Soon Nyok Lian
118. Swee Huat Eng
119. Tan Cheng Siong
120. Tan Chia Ee

121. Tan Jia Shen
122. Tan Li Ying
123. Tan Teck Hoe
124. Tan Wen Hui
125. Teh Sin Joe
126. Teo Swee Tengo
127. Terry
128. Thilaga
129. Ting Teck Khoon
130. Ting Zhao Hong
131. Too Xing Ji
132. Tyler Lim
133. Yee Shan
134. Wong Chang Fu
135. Wong Chin Huat
136. Wang Chun Rui
137. Wong Yan Ke
138. Wong Yan Zhi
139. Wong Yew Lee
140. Yap Mei Shya
141. Yew Jun Huo
142. Yong Ke-Qin
143. Yu Ren Chung
144. Zu Peng
145. 吴汉坤