In Malaysia, student group Umany’s statement to king sparks death threats

The group, made up mostly of ethnic Chinese members, was criticised for calling on Sultan Abdullah not to intervene in national affairs

A coalition of 54 NGOs, including the Dong Zong lobby group for Chinese-medium schools, is urging authorities to investigate the ‘cyber-thuggery’

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The University Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) apologised to Malaysia’s King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah after a statement calling on him to stay out of national affairs, which caused a backlash in the country. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:00pm, 24 Nov 2020Updated: 9:18pm, 25 Nov 2020

A group of 54 Malaysian non-governmental associations on Tuesday urged authorities to investigate death and rape threats made against ethnic Chinese university students who had called on the country’s king to stop interfering in national politics.

The coalition – which includes the influential Dong Zong lobby group for Chinese-medium schools as well as prominent local civil rights groups such as Bersih 2.0, Suaram, Proham and Tenaganita – said the silence from authorities in the face of such “cyber-thuggery” was tantamount to them endorsing criminal acts.

The saga, which has been simmering for weeks, has highlighted the hypersensitivity that exists among parts of the majority-Malay population towards criticism of the hereditary Malay royals – who serve not only a constitutional role but are also guardians of the Islamic faith and Malay culture.

The death and rape threats posed to members of Umany … would constitute domestic terrorism and damage rule of law in Malaysia.

Statement by NGOs

The University Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) – made up mainly of ethnic Chinese students in Malaysia’s top university – sparked the controversy on October 30 with a Facebook post urging the king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, not to intervene in national affairs.

The post alluded to a palace statement that advised MPs across the political divide to back the beleaguered government’s budget bill.

The statement was released after the king’s earlier rejection of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s request to enact a national emergency – a move viewed by observers as a means to avoid defeat of his budget in the legislature.

Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah (left) and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin after meeting at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

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