Najib's 'jasa' does not excuse corruption, student activist tells ex-PM's supporters

Gratitude towards Najib Abdul Razak cannot excuse his corruption, student activist Brandon Gan said, following a wave of online backlash against Universiti Malaya student representative Ummi Umairah Bakhit.

Ummi became an overnight sensation after criticising the donation drive for the convicted former prime minister at the recent International Young Future Leaders Summit (iFuture 2026).

During...

Gratitude towards Najib Abdul Razak cannot excuse his corruption, student activist Brandon Gan said, following a wave of online backlash against Universiti Malaya student representative Ummi Umairah Bakhit.

Ummi became an overnight sensation after criticising the donation drive for the convicted former prime minister at the recent International Young Future Leaders Summit (iFuture 2026).

During an open forum with former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, she questioned the public’s donations to help Najib pay his RM50 million fine, describing it as the “stupidest” act she has seen in her life.

Following that, Ummi was criticised for supposedly lacking manners and being ungrateful for the former prime minister’s contributions.

“Jasa (good deeds) do not justify corruption,” Gan, a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) law student, stressed during KiniTV’s “Explain Sikit” podcast, hosted by Malaysiakini senior editor Yiswaree Palansamy.

Earlier in the podcast, Gan addressed the wave of backlash against Ummi. Both students appeared as guests on the programme.

“You are said to be impolite; you cannot question Najib’s solidarity fund, you cannot question corruption, you must remember the good deeds and gratitude to the former prime minister.

“That is the issue today,” he said.

READ MORE: UM student doubles down on Najib fundraiser criticism, says will 'never' apologise

Gan said the principle applies to today’s government as well, citing Budi95 as an example of aid to the rakyat.

“Well, today you can say, okay, I give subsidies to the people. For example, Budi95, all of that assistance. But in the back, you suck out the money.

“That does not justify it because, at the end of the day, the people are the ones who have to bear the loss of the country.

“At the end of the day, when there is a loss, when the debts are high, when inflation happens, when there is a recession or bankruptcy, the people are the ones who are affected.

“You are the ones who lose your job; you are the ones who have to pay more, and these are the things that most people don’t understand.

“They just see it as, oh, today I get RM100, so it’s justified for me to support someone who has helped me, even though there is corruption,” Gan added.

'A weapon to attack other parties'

Gan expressed disappointment over the reaction toward Ummi, which he noted happens to any student who comes forward to question corruption and hold those in power accountable.

“It is quite unfortunate when students, especially student leaders, come forward to question integrity and corruption issues, and as a result, they have to face a massive backlash from the public.

“What is even more disappointing is that most people affiliated with certain parties use this issue as a mechanism or perhaps a weapon to attack other parties,” he said.

Gan added that Ummi became a victim of twisted facts, including allegations that she belongs to a certain political party.

According to him, public university students should be required to undergo a semester of anti-corruption and integrity studies.

“When students like Ummi come forward and apply what they learned, it should be praised.

“The government, and especially politicians, should be grateful that we have young people like Ummi who are brave enough to question such matters.

“If not Ummi, who else will question corruption? If not youth and students, who else can we rely on?” he asked.

Najib, 73, is serving a prison sentence after being convicted on seven criminal charges involving SRC International Sdn Bhd.

He was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million in 2020. In 2024, his prison sentence in the SRC International case was halved while his fine was cut to RM50 million. He was set to be released on Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of the fine.

On Sept 18 this year, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar granted Najib a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his SRC sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of the RM50 million fine and compliance with the stipulated conditions.

On the same day, Umno launched a donation drive to help ease the financial burden on its former president.

Najib was also sentenced to 15 years in prison in a separate 1MDB case, with the sentence to begin after he completes his SRC sentence.

On Oct 14, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed his application to stay the execution of the 1MDB sentence pending appeal.

Feudalism and education

Ummi agreed with Gan, adding that ingrained feudalism also plays a role among Najib’s supporters and apologists, preventing them from distinguishing right from wrong.

Not one for mincing words, Ummi said that a lack of education is also to blame.

“Feudalism. Because they don’t get the chance to be educated like us, to know why something is wrong. That’s why they have the mindset to be loyal to their leaders until they realise what they are doing is wrong.

“They don't have the opportunity to think like us. That’s it,” she said.

Gan, meanwhile, added that corruption in Malaysia is not just a matter of a few bad actors breaking the rules. In his view, the system itself enables corruption and makes it difficult to detect.

He said that gaps in the legal framework let wrongdoing continue without consequence, so it can look legitimate on paper.

He also pointed to the lack of a Political Funding Act and a Freedom of Information Act, which would enable public access to information.

“When corruption happens in Malaysia, it is hard for people to see. We don’t have access to information,” Gan added.