The #Lawan protest, which primarily aims at demanding the resignation of then-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his entire cabinet for their failures in curbing the pandemic has since turned into an intimidation weapon against activists.
Over the past few months, we have seen several female young activists being threatened.
One of them was Sarah Irdina, who was brought into the police station and detained overnight for an infographic she posted for Secretary Solidarity Rakyat (SSR).
On August 19, several activists from SSR held a memorial for COVID-19 victims but were again intimidated by police then arrested, taken to IPD Dang Wangi.
In the arrest, police were seen in videos to have shouted at a female activist, attempted to drag her off the floor and subsequently carried her from the scene.
#Lawan: Another Threat Received
Recently, another activist, Shakila Zen received serious threats over a viral video she made for the #Lawan protest.
Saya menerima panggilan dari Shakila beberapa hari lepas, untuk memberitahu bahawa beliau telah diugut dan diancam keselamatan melalui barangan yang di hantar ke rumah pic.twitter.com/reezSmM9y3
— W.N. Khuzairey (@WKhuzairey) September 1, 2021
In a tweet, @W.N. Khuzairey shared that Shakila Zen received a box with a fake bloody arm and a note attached. The note threatens to splash acid and burn her parents’ house.
The note reads:
You are a b*bi women! You think barking like a dog makes you better than us? If I see you bark again, I will splash acid on you and your friends altogether. I will also burn your parents’ house! Be careful when you are on the way to (censored).”
To make the matter worse, Shakila also received sexually explicit messages on WhatsApp as well as lewd posters that have her personal information, the Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat said in a statement.
✊???? We stand in Solidarity with Shakila Zen ✊????
— #Undi18 #ManaUndiKami ???? (@UNDI18MY) September 1, 2021
With the increase targeting of youths and freedom of expression, young female activists have been particularly affected. We stand behind those who are brave enough to call out systemic inequalities and corrupted leaders. pic.twitter.com/hNZd0ECdA6
Shakila Zen: It All Started From a TikTok Video
Shakila opined that the harassment and threats were due to her video commentary on the #Lawan rally which had gone viral on TikTok, Malaysiakini reported.
The English media outlet also revealed that Shakila was traumatised and has decided to take a break from NGOs and activism.
Honestly, I was traumatized when I thought someone I didn’t know sent the parcel in front of my family’s house.
My family asked me to reduce (activism activities) if possible, also don’t involve in NGOs and activism.
Shakila has since lodged several police reports regarding the incident. The case is currently being investigated under Penal Code Section 507 for criminal intimidation.
Many Support Voices Online
The tweet has since garnered 3,000 retweets, with many showing sympathy over Shakila’s situation.
One user shared a scripture that condemns the blackmailer. Another user also provided suggestions that could help locate the suspect.
find the store / seller. get the cctv and details. expose the coward. and hopefully a good soul will come forward to expose this shaiton.
— Lydia ???? (@LydsLydssLydia) September 1, 2021
Semoga Allah SWT pelihara dan lindungi dari segala kejahatan.
— Fakhri ???????????????? (@fakhrifadzli) September 1, 2021
Baca zikir seperti :
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ.
3x setiap pagi & petang.
Juga zikir & doa perlindungan yang lain.
“The right to protest is freedom for everyone in Malaysia. The loss of an individual’s right is an attack on us all.”
Cover Images via W.N. Khuzairey & solidaritas.my
Proofreader: Anna Wong
