By Niza Shimi
To be honest, I’m surprised Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman did not make the cut to join the Cabinet line up of the so-called Unity Government. Instead, another young firebrand, Adam Adli Abdul Halim, did.
Considering Syed Saddiq can claim the honour of being the youngest minister ever in the previous, short-lived, Pakatan Harapan (PH) government of 2018. But then, at that time he was with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
He was then made the Minister of Youth and Sports (KBS) by the then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Considering that he is an alumnus of the Perdana Research Foundation, Syed Saddiq was seen as an apprentice of Tun M. Is that to his detriment, I wonder?
Since the infamous Sheraton Move that toppled the PH government, Syed Saddiq went on to establish MUDA with other young political hopefuls. The party’s bid to join the PH coalition before the 15th general elections (GE15) is an electoral pact, apparently.
But the post GE15 focus is not on Syed Saddiq who faces a court case for criminal breach of trust while minister, although that shouldn’t be an issue in this government considering the deputy prime minister is in the same boat. Que sera sera, what will be will be, as Doris Day would say.
The man of the moment has to be former young student activist Adam, who also just joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat before GE15. He went on to become PKR’s youth chief. His Linkedin profile says he is the chairperson of the Liga Rakyat Demokratik since 2020.
At aged 33 years, the now married Adam Adli has matured since his defiant and vociferous student days at the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) when he led several student demonstrations fighting for academic freedom.
The similarity in student activism echoes that of the now Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s own student activism at Universiti Malaya (UM). Adam Adli’s subsequent suspension from UPSI followed Anwar’s own suspension from UM. Both were later reinstated and since graduated.
Like Anwar, Adam Adli was arrested for his activism and charged for sedition. According to Front Line Defenders, the sedition charge was in relation to a speech he made at a post-election forum at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on 13 May 2013.
On 19 November 2014, the Sessions Court found Adam Adli guilty of the charge and sentenced him to 12 months in prison. In February 2016, the High Court upheld his conviction but substituted the prison term with a fine of RM 5,000. On 22 February 2018, the Court of Appeal bench set aside the conviction.
In terms of personality, Adam Adli is lower key and even looks a bit shy in front of media spotlight. Perhaps this makes him less of a challenge compared to the publicity seeking Syed Saddiq who has become somewhat of a darling of the international media.
Perhaps, Adam Adli made the right overtures when he, fresh from GE15 victory at Hang Tuah Jaya, relaunched the book “Anwar Ibrahim: Semangat Darah Muda” published by Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia.
On the other hand, Syed Saddiq was seen with Bersatu president and Perikaatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Free Malaysia Today quoted Syed Saddiq, “Even though we are in different political parties, my respect for Muhyiddin remains. We must respect both our comrades and adversaries,” posted in his Facebook.
Adam Adli is now the deputy minister of KBS with Minister Hannah Yeoh from the Democratic Action Party, a close ally of Syed Saddiq. Can Hannah and Adam Adli win the hearts and minds of youth in the country?
Will Syed Saddiq, who won his Muar seat in GE15, rise again? It will be interesting to see which path these two young politicians will take in their careers.
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