Previously, a Universiti Malaya (UM) student made headlines after calling people’s decision to donate money to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to help pay his RM50 million fine the “stupidest thing” she had ever witnessed.
In an exclusive interview with WORLD OF BUZZ, Ummi Umairah shares a glimpse of her journey as a student activist, the backlash she faced after going viral, and why she continues to stand by her opinions.
1. Who is Ummi Umairah?
Ummi Umairah is a final-year Bachelor of Economics student at UM, who’s also a representative from the UM Students’ Union.
2. Addressing her viral remarks on donations to Najib’s RM50 million fine
Ummi Umairah clarifies that her viral remark was directed at the act of donating money to Najib Razak, which she considered “stupid”, rather than the people who donated. She believes many people misunderstood the context of her question at the forum.
As an economics student, she was curious about corruption, an issue she said is rarely discussed in class, and saw the forum as an opportunity to raise questions and encourage critical thinking among young people.
3. Encouraging people to think before jumping to conclusions
Ummi Umairah believes that improving critical thinking starts with asking questions and looking deeper into what someone is trying to convey, rather than jumping to conclusions.
She feels that many people misunderstood her use of the word “stupid” without considering the context, adding that a lack of reading and independent research is one of the problems in society today.
“But in this case, people heard the word ‘stupid’ and immediately formed a firm opinion, thinking, ‘Oh, this girl is trying to call someone stupid. She has no manners,’ and so on. I think that’s one of the problems in our society today. People also don’t focus enough on reading and doing their own research,” she explained.
4. Her early days as a student activist
Ummi Umairah began speaking up on various social issues after winning UM campus elections, which gave her a platform to voice her opinions. Since then, she has become more involved in issues such as climate change, including taking part in the previous viral campaign to raise awareness about the haze.
When asked if she plans to continue down this path, Ummi Umairah said she hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy after graduating, so she can explore policy issues in greater depth.
5. Why engaging with the community matters for activists
Ummi Umairah believes that engaging directly with the community helps activists better understand what people are going through. She explains that spending time on the streets allows them to connect with the public.
“If we only sit in air-conditioned rooms at forums wearing suits, we won’t truly understand what people are going through. That’s why some people don’t understand why activists spend so much time on the streets. It’s because they want to get closer to the community,” she added.
6. The challenges of being a young activist
Ummi Umairah shared that she has had her opinions dismissed because of her age and lack of experience, with older people sometimes using their life experience to undermine what younger people have to say. She believes that finding a supportive environment can help young people feel more confident about speaking up and standing by their views as members of Gen Z.
Despite the backlash she received, Ummi Umairah remains firm in her stance on donations to former Najib, saying that she still considers it the “stupidest thing” she has ever witnessed.
She added that she would not change her opinion or apologise for it.
7. Encouraging more Gen Z voices to speak up
Ummi Umairah encouraged students who are interested in activism to reach out to NGOs such as BERSIH, MUDA and Teroka Muda to gain exposure to public policy and learn more about current issues.
She also urged those speaking up against corruption, gender inequality, sexual harassment, bullying and other social issues to keep going and continue raising awareness among the next generation. She believes more Gen Z voices need to speak up and be heard.
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