Rally Organisers Question If Govt Trying To Silence Anti Graft Youths

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Organisers of the youth-led anti-graft rally in Kuala Lumpur last week have questioned whether the government is aiming to silence youths speaking out against corruption.
This came just under a month after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on youths to stop defending corrupt leaders.
In a statement this afternoon, Sekretariat Rakyat Benci Rasuah criticised the police grilling of activists involved in organising the Jan 25 demonstration.
“We ask - is demanding a country that is free from corruption an offence? Is the voice of youths so challenging that it must be extinguished through intimidation and investigation?” it said.
It added a reminder that those in power today took to the streets to protest corruption in the past.
On Jan 25, about 200 youths demonstrated at Dataran Merdeka, protesting against corruption in the country.
One of the notable placards at the protest labelled Anwar as the “father of freeing corruptors” - possibly in reference to long-standing criticism over prosecutors withdrawing charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Police summon 13 students
The rally was a continuation of a student-led protest in Sabah over the appointment of Musa Aman as the state’s governor.
The protest in Kuala Lumpur initially met resistance from authorities but received a go-ahead from Anwar at the 11th hour.
Despite this, 13 students were later summoned for questioning by police who were investigating the rally under the Peaceful Assembly Act.
Ten student activists were questioned at Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today, while another two will reportedly have their statements recorded in Sabah.
Another student has yet to confirm their availability according to Dang Wangi police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman. - Mkini

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