The UM Association of New Youth (Umany) members Tan Jia You, Lau Li Yang, Chua Hun Ti and Ho Chi Yang were found guilty and punished with stern warnings.

They were ordered to pay fines of RM150 to RM600 for holding up placards during a 1MDB town hall meeting held at UM in October last year.

After appealing, the fines were revoked but the students were still found guilty.

Umany president Kon Hua En said Umany was unsatisfied with the guilty verdict.

“Although the fines were dropped, Umany is dissatisfied with the guilty verdict and will consider taking legal action,” he said in a statement.

He said the university’s move to reprimand the students was an infringement of their democratic rights.

“Holding placards as a means of protest is just a common way of expressing opinion in any mature democratic society,” he said in a statement.

“The Umany four held placards during the event to protest over the issue involving 1MDB, a company which is deeply entangled in alleged corruption scandals but were punished by the university using UUCA.”