Student activists say two arrested under Sedition Act after Anwar caricature burned at Sabah rally

Student activists say two arrested under Sedition Act after Anwar caricature burned at Sabah rally

KOTA KINABALU, June 24 — Two student activists linked to last weekend’s Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 rally were allegedly arrested today under the Sedition Act, following backlash over the burning of a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Student activist Qistina Qaisara said in a WhatsApp message to reporters that Muhammad Fadhil Kasim and Aliff Danial Badrul Akmal Hisham were detained after arriving at the Sabah police headquarters in Kepayan.

“Fadhil was called in by police to assist with a forensic investigation into the report that their car had been splashed with acid,” she said.

“But when they arrived, both Fadhil and Aliff were immediately arrested under the Sedition Act. Their lawyers had not yet arrived,” she added.

Qistina claimed the arrest was aggressive and said they had video recordings of the incident.

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Yesterday, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said some of the students involved in the rally were being investigated for allegedly violating the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

He said police had opened three investigation papers covering nine potential offences, including incitement involving race, religion and royalty (3Rs), carrying flammable materials, and open burning.

The student-led rally, held in the city centre, was largely peaceful until the burning of the caricature, which drew condemnation from several quarters.