Gratitude towards Najib Abdul Razak cannot excuse his corruption, student activist Brandon Gan said, following a wave of online backlash against Universiti Malaya student representative Ummi Umairah Bakhit.

Ummi became an overnight sensation after criticising the donation drive for the convicted former prime minister at the recent International Young Future Leaders Summit (iFuture 2026).

During an open forum with former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, she questioned the public’s donations to help Najib pay his RM50 million fine, describing it as the “stupidest” act she has seen in her life.

Following that, Ummi was criticised for supposedly lacking manners and being ungrateful for the former prime minister’s contributions.