The RM10,000 was presented to him by Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Anis was recently suspended and fined by Universiti Malaya (UM), where she studies, for her involvement in the #TangkapMalaysianOfficial1 (MO1) rally in August.
“I still remember being asked by the media what I would do with the RM10,000,” he said in a statement.
“I vowed that I would use the money to fight for freedom of speech because that was the basis for me receiving that award,” said the former Universiti Islam Antarabangsa student, who has won numerous university-level debate competitions.
Last week, UM suspended Anis and two others for one semester and fined them RM400 respectively for their involvement in the rally.
The #TangkapMO1 rally was organised by a coalition of students and youth groups calling for the arrest of the MO1 named in the United States’ Department of Justice’s recent civil suit linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
Saddiq said he had yet to spend the money, which was awarded to him at the Anugerah Perdana Belia Negara, and added that his contribution to Anis was an “investment” in the empowerment of youth.
Saddiq, a founding member of PPBM, said he had spent a lot of his personal savings since entering politics.
“It’s painful and difficult, but the fight must go on.”