Lawyer and activist Siti Kasim receives death threats from man calling on public to behead her, man later arrested

Siti Kasim, surrounded by members of Malaysia’s native community. She tirelessly campaigns to have their rights protected, and their children educated. Image via Siti Kasim Facebook.
Siti Kasim, surrounded by members of Malaysia’s native community. She tirelessly campaigns to have their rights protected, and their children educated. Image via Siti Kasim Facebook.

Police have caught the man who has been calling for the beheading of lawyer, and civil rights activist, Siti Kasim. The middle-aged man is known on social media as Anuar Rahman Atk.

Siti Kasim uploaded screenshots of his calls to violence against her to her Facebook account, saying that he had threatened her twice. The first time, on 3 July, and then again 19 July. She went to police 23 July to file a report, saying she no longer felt safe.

He cited a quote that he took offence to in a news portal in the 3 July incident, where Siti Kasim spoke about the rights of LGBT+ Malaysians. Siti Kasim writes that she was taken out of context.

The threat, was accompanied by comments from his followers, calling Siti Kasim “a pig” (original) and agreeing with the man’s call for her to be beheaded (what even?).

   

 

This is for speaking on our LEGAL rights. Stuff that we already have guaranteed in the constitution.

Yes, human beings… This is where we’re at right now.

Siti Kasim received incredible support throughout her own comments section after she posted the man’s threats. Her followers, across all Malaysian demographics, were disgusted by the violent words used by men who dress, and profess themselves to be religious, yet go on to write violent, hateful things.

Siti Kasim, has developed as much admiration as she has ire over the last two years in Malaysia.

Her brave moment standing up to the omnipotent religious police, JAWI, who raided and shut down, a private beauty pageant for members of the transgender community that she was attending brought her work into public consciousness.

Looking at JAWI squarely in the face, the viral video of Siti Kasim, a lawyer, asking them what law was being broken and not relenting, was a hit with netizens. It has since been taken down (sorry, it was really good, we’re not gonna lie).

Her work with the LGBT+ community may give her most of the sensational headlines, but she works across the board with disadvantaged groups.

After realizing that members of Malaysia’s orang asli (native people) community were being taken advantage of with regards to precious land rights, and their children shafted though the education system, she took on their cases pro bono.

Spending her time and money working with them, filing injunctions against offending parties and corporations, she continuously works with groups she sees as being marginalized. In a judicial system established to protect us ALL, everyone deserves representation, and not just the chosen, sanctimonious few. Ahem.

We live in a country where sensitivities abound, and Siti Kasim has made enemies along the way. Apparently, enemies want your head now, in case you missed the memo.

City police chief Commissioner Datuk Amar Singh confirmed the arrest to The Sun, but did not give any further details on the case, only to say that the suspect was now in remand for 3 days.

Keep on rockin’ in the free world, everybody. Siti wants you to remember, we live in a free world.

   



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