SHAH ALAM - Datuk Seri Najib Razak is currently serving his sentence under house arrest at his residence in Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, after being transferred from Kajang Prison on Nov 10.
However, weeks earlier, a move to crowdfund the former Prime Minister’s RM50 million fine sparked controversy when a Universiti Malaya (UM) undergraduate described it as the “most stupid” act.
The remark put Ummi Umairah Mohammad Bakhit, 23, into the national spotlight, drawing praise, backlash and threats to her safety.
Nevertheless, Ummi remains steadfast in her position that her criticism was directed at an action rather than an individual.
Beyond the controversy, the final-year economics student also questioned why young people who dare to speak up are often labelled rude or overly sensitive, earning them the moniker of the “strawberry generation.”
To her, Generation Z (Gen Z) is not weak but bolder in challenging injustice, despite her own admission that she was once shy and lacked confidence when speaking in public.
Read Ummi’s exclusive interview with special writer Khairil Anwar Mohd Amin at Studio Karangkraf, here, which explores her personality, Gen Z’s mindset and allegations of cronyism on the UM campus.
Ummi: I grew up in Selangor. In terms of my family background, we do not come from a family of politicians, nor do we have ties to any political party. We are just an ordinary family.
I also took part in various activities, including sports such as badminton, netball, volleyball and taekwondo, since primary school.
I chose to study economics for several reasons. First, I came from an accounting stream. Competition for places in accounting was extremely stiff and I did not manage to secure a place in that discipline.
So, economics was my second choice. After entering the field, I began exploring various issues and developed a greater awareness of societal issues and the problems facing the country.
You are now known for being outspoken. Have you always had this trait since childhood?
Ummi: I have always enjoyed debating and questioning things. For instance, I would ask why something happens and why things have to be done in a certain way. After realising this inclination, I tried to channel it through the right platform by getting involved in student leadership.
Previously, I was actually shy and introverted. I was not particularly good at speaking and lacked self-confidence. However, I started getting involved in student leadership to gain experience while making an impact on others. It was through these experiences that my communication and social skills began to develop.
As a representative of the UM Student Union (KMUM), what are the most common complaints you receive, and what initiatives have you personally spearheaded?
Ummi: Various issues are raised, including students who do not have enough food, have no money or face financial difficulties. I also read these complaints daily through our social media channels.
We have managed to resolve many issues collectively. However, one of the initiatives I have personally worked on is addressing unequal opportunities among students.
At UM, some students are unaware of the various programmes available. Consequently, they miss out on opportunities to participate in activities or programmes, even though they are genuinely interested.
Therefore, I created a social media platform to help students discover the various opportunities and programmes available. The platform is called SiswaUM.holistik. It is an initiative under my portfolio as KMUM's Secretary of Media and Information. To date, the platform has attracted more than 100,000 visitors.
You received the Best Policy Motion Award at the Sidang Siswi 2.0 programme in Penang last June. What proposal did you put forward, and what is the current standing of women in campus leadership?
Ummi: The proposal I put forward aimed to increase student participation in politics to 70 per cent. I suggested bringing in mentors from among politicians, such as Members of Parliament and female leaders, including YB Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to share their experiences.
I feel that one of the main reasons women's participation remains low is the lingering stigma that men should be leaders.
In last year's campus elections, a female candidate secured the highest number of votes, yet she was not chosen as KMUM president. Instead, union members elected a male candidate to lead the student body.
To me, this situation shows that the stigma that men should lead still persists.
You once represented Malaysia at a youth forum on AI. What are your concerns about students' use of this technology?
Ummi: When I represented Malaysia at the Asean AI Youth Caucus Summit in 2025, I debated the issue of integrity in the use of AI within financial institutions. However, there are also many areas in the education sector that require attention, particularly when it comes to integrity.
Nowadays, many people use AI not to help them think but instead to hand over the entire thinking process to the technology. They immediately ask AI to provide answers without making an effort to think for themselves. Young people today should use AI while applying critical thinking.
They need to conduct their own research first. In my view, the culture of reading and making an effort to understand a subject in depth is gradually eroding.
At the iFuture 2026 forum in Kuala Lumpur last October, what was the message you intended to convey when you questioned the fundraising effort to help Najib pay his RM50 million fine?
Ummi: I actually raised the question because I wanted to raise awareness about integrity among young people, in line with the theme of iFuture. Beyond that, I also wanted to highlight the impropriety of donating money to the elite.
We can also link this to feudal culture, where people are overly loyal to their leaders.
That was what I intended to ask the panellists that day. I had no intention of belittling anyone. Unfortunately, my good intentions and the original question were overshadowed when the phrase “most stupid act” attracted more attention than the issues of integrity, corruption and feudalism that I had raised.
Was the phrase “most stupid act” too harsh, to the point that it overshadowed your actual message?
Ummi: I feel the reason many people viewed the question as rude and ill-mannered is that Malaysia still lacks a culture of critical thinking when it comes to asking questions. When young people raise questions, some people will say they are more experienced because they “sudah lama makan garam” (a Malay idiom referring to having more life experience).
In fact, some even use the rhetoric of manners (adab) to deflect questions by labelling someone as insolent. To me, the phrase “most stupid act” was not harsh. I did not use excessive language or insult any specific individual. The word “stupid” referred to the action, not the individual.
Why do you think donors remain loyal to Najib? Can you understand their perspective?
Ummi: I see the loyalty of a segment of society towards Datuk Seri Najib as closely linked to his deeds during his tenure as Prime Minister. From a psychological standpoint, I understand that they have an emotional bond with him because they believe he did a great deal for the rakyat.
Because of that emotional attachment, they end up setting aside the fact that Najib was found guilty by the court.
However, I understand their feelings and accept that there are differing opinions within society.
What was the most worrying threat you received after the video went viral? How did you cope with it?
Ummi: The reaction from my friends and family was largely positive, as I am surrounded by individuals who are genuinely politically conscious. In terms of threats, I received many that could put my personal safety at risk. Among the most serious were threats from individuals who said they would slap and injure me. However, I did not take those remarks too seriously.
Even so, whenever I go out, I still take precautions, such as keeping a low profile and always walking with friends.
You received support from both government and opposition leaders following the controversy. Will that support affect your freedom to criticise any party, including the government itself?
Ummi: I do not think that will be an issue. I will not declare my support for any political party, as that is my right. My criticism is not directed at just one side. The questions I ask are also based on the theme of the forum and the backgrounds of the panellists.
If the government itself does something that I believe is wrong, I will still speak up. However, my time is limited because I am still studying. I cannot speak out on every single issue, nor do I wield significant power.
You have been firm in defending your position on the Najib controversy. However, would you be willing to change your stance if new arguments or facts proved your view wrong?
Ummi: When it comes to this viral issue, I am firm in my principles. I will not retract my statement simply because others offer differing views, as I believe the principles of integrity that I uphold are right.
However, on other matters involving misunderstandings or differences of opinion, if I am proven wrong, I will take responsibility and correct my stance.
Gen Z grew up with social media and AI. Does easy access to information make them more critical, or does it have the opposite effect? What is this generation's most glaring weakness?
Ummi: I think one of the problems I observe among Gen Z is a short attention span, particularly when consuming information on social media. Many simply absorb information through two- to three-minute videos without verifying it or conducting further research.
In my view, the culture of critical thinking is diminishing. Many read less and do not spend time conducting in-depth research, including research that requires hours of effort. They want things fast.
Thus, this culture of watching short-form videos causes their thinking to lean towards what is quick and easy, without wanting to think critically or delve deeply into an issue.
Gen Z is often labelled the “strawberry generation”, a term used to describe young people who are easily offended and unable to handle pressure. How do you view this perception?
Ummi: I do not think Gen Z is the strawberry generation. On the contrary, previous generations shaped an environment that made young people less forthright when confronting things they considered wrong or hurtful.
However, Gen Z today is bolder in voicing dissatisfaction when faced with problems. If they are unhappy with a job, they have the courage to decide to switch careers.
I do not see Gen Z as a weak generation. In fact, I believe this generation is stronger than previous ones. We also need to change our perspective on manners (adab) among young people.
Gen Z is bolder in speaking up and fighting injustice. How do you plan to continue this struggle after graduating? Do you aspire to enter politics and how would you like to be remembered one day?
Ummi: I am genuinely not interested in entering politics at this point. However, based on my long-term goals, I want to venture into the field of public policy. Among the issues close to my heart are integrity, injustice and inequality.
From the angle of educational opportunity, I want to address the gap between the B40 and T20 groups, particularly in terms of access to education.
I want to be remembered as someone who made an impact on society. Even if people remember me because of the controversy, the most important thing is that they take away a lesson from the issue or controversy that unfolded.
You have previously raised concerns about unequal opportunities and cronyism among UM students. What practices have you observed and how do they affect other students?
Ummi: It is as though we are practising a form of corruption on campus, where certain cliques are given benefits or opportunities simply because they have close ties with specific individuals. As a result, other students are denied equal opportunities.
For example, when selecting participants for programmes, certain parties only choose their own friends without following a proper selection process. The same applies to residential college placements.
As student representatives, we deal with cases of students who have high merit but fail to secure accommodation. Conversely, others get a place because they are friends with college leaders.
In fact, some even gain an advantage because they are in a romantic relationship with a college leader. This might seem trivial, but it is actually a form of injustice. If such practices become normalised on campus, the repercussions could be far more serious when those individuals take on higher leadership positions in the future.
What reforms would you like to see in the residential college placement system, particularly regarding transparency and the role of student representatives at the university level?
Ummi: As student representatives who form the highest student leadership body, are not even given the opportunity to be involved in the residential college placement selection process. In this regard, our authority and role as student representatives have already been curtailed.
I believe we need to overhaul a system that has long contributed to the various problems I have raised. The issue of integrity is still given insufficient attention when systems are formulated at both the Higher Education Ministry and university levels. We must uphold the principle of integrity in every system we develop.