KOTA KINABALU: The act of burning a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the recent Suara Mahasiswa rally has been described as a desperate stunt to regain attention after a lacklustre turnout.
Tuaran PKR division chief Razeef Rakimin condemned the act, calling it a misdirected and hazardous attempt to provoke.
“This was a desperate attempt to gain attention after the mobilisation failed. The demonstration on Saturday only drew about 50 to 80 people, and the burning of the caricature the next day was clearly a stunt aimed at the wrong target,” he said in a statement on Monday (June 23).
The caricature, set alight during the second day of the “Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0” protest organised by students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), was supposedly intended as a symbolic jab at the Prime Minister, labelling him a protector of corruption in Sabah.
Razeef said that although the group had a right to protest — something he and Sabah PKR have supported from the beginning — their methods have become increasingly problematic.
“Since their first protest on water issues, and then Gempur Rasuah 1.0 and now 2.0, we have been consistent in defending the right to demonstrate. The police have also allowed their rallies as long as they follow the law,” he said.
“But their approach is off. Instead of mobilising the rakyat, they resort to mockery and extreme ridicule, which turns people off. Their antics come across as distasteful and even childish.”
He said one incident during the Saturday rally saw participants roughing up another protester who held a placard demanding an investigation into the alleged RM1.5bil leak — a contradiction to the rally’s anti-corruption message.
“Police managed to keep the peace despite provocation. One officer was even shouted at simply for asking to see an ID. It’s within a police officer’s rights to request identification, yet the demonstrators treated him disrespectfully,” he added.
Razeef also questioned why the Prime Minister became the target, pointing out that Anwar had approved a RM3mil allocation to help resolve UMS’s water woes after hearing students’ complaints.
“The PM didn’t pocket a single sen from that project. So why burn his caricature instead of targeting the actual individuals accused of corruption?” he asked.
He further highlighted that the burning itself was poorly executed and dangerous.
“After two failed attempts, the banner still wouldn’t burn. One participant nearly caught fire when another foolishly lit the petrol while it was still being poured. This was not about cleaning up after - they endangered public safety at Gaya Street, which had tourists and weekend visitors.”
“The public backlash has been strong, not because of their anti-corruption message, but because of the sheer recklessness and disrespect shown. Corruption isn’t part of our culture, but neither is extremism and vandalism.”
Police have said investigations are ongoing into the banner burning, which may fall under sedition or other related laws.
