He said students continue to have the right to speak up, even as activism has shifted from traditional to virtual spaces such as TikTok.

“We will not stop anyone from gathering and expressing their views, whether in traditional settings or online.

“If you want to criticise, go ahead. We will respond to the issues raised when decisions are made,” he said in a question-and-answer session during a meet-and-greet at the launch of UCSI University’s new building here.

Anwar said students could also send official letters or meet directly with the relevant authorities to ensure that their ideas are heard and considered.

He said student representatives and councils could also arrange meetings with the higher education ministry. “You can raise difficult questions at these meetings,” he added.

This comes after activist Roshinee Mookaiah yesterday claimed that police evicted her from the Perdana Botanical Gardens, reportedly for “protesting” without a Kuala Lumpur City Hall permit.

She was there to collect signatures for her “Dilarang Ponteng Parliament” (No Parliamentary Truancy) petition, which seeks stronger disciplinary measures for MPs who repeatedly skip Parliament sessions without valid cause.

The petition also calls for the Dewan Rakyat to shorten the period allowed for absenteeism without cause from the current six months, for MPs’ attendance and participation records to be made public, and for their salaries to be deducted based on absences.