Kuala Lumpur: Wong Yan Ke, a former student leader of University of Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY), has been detained from his home Petaling Jaya.
According to reports, he has been detained for filming the police raid on the current UMANY president Yap Wen Qing’s house on 7 November.
Wong, who has been vocal against Agong and Malaysian political parties since his university times, believes that authorities and governments have been trying to curb people’s voice in Malaysia.
In the latest incident, Wong said in a statement that recording the police raid is not a crime in Malaysia.
In the midst of the storm that has ensued, here we are trying to understand about Wong Yan Ke.
Who is Wong Yan Ke?
The 23-year-old Wong Yan Ke is a Chinese ethnic, who graduated in civil engineering from University of Malaya, was the student leader of UMANY. In an interview with Malaysiakini, Wong denied participating in active politics of Malaysia. He said he will continue with his attitude and rise against injustice.
Limelight
Wong came into limelight for the first time in 2019 when he was manhandled by Najib Razak’s supporters for mocking the former prime minister. While in June 2019, the police intimidated Wong and his comrades for supporting student-led Hong Kong protests.
Earlier in 2018, several students leader-led by Wong went to the parliament to fight for campus reforms and asked then Education Minister Maszlee Malik to provide freedom to students to organise the campus election.
Protests For Hong Kong and Thailand
Wong and his comrades have supported Hong Kong’s student-led protest against China’s extradition law since June 2019. During the demonstration in favour of the Hong Kong protest in Kuala Lumpur, he was charged under Malaysia’s Penal Code 504 with insulting the university’s vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim.
Since last year, Wong and his fellow activists have organised several Hong Kong support rallies in Malaysia in global solidarity with Hong Kong demonstrators.
Wong has also been active in ongoing students-led protests in Thailand against the ruling government and monarch system. In his several social media posts, Wong urged to support Thai demonstrations
What is UMANY?
University of Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY) is Chinese-centric student organisation, which mainly has Chinese ethnic students. But Wong said in an interview that UMANY welcomes all non-Chinese students regardless of race and religion.
Why is governments afraid of Wong?
Wong has been very vocal against Malaysian King Agong and often been warned by authorities for criticising federal and state governments. He is an emerging young leader in Malaysia. He believes in youth protests and often raised his voice for rights.
Wong, who is very active on social media, often posts against Agong’s direct interference in Malaysian politics.