M'sia university students wear KKK robes for class assignment, police investigating

A university in Selangor, Malaysia has come under scrutiny after a group of its students were seen wearing Ku Klux Klan (KKK) robes on campus.

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has defended the students, saying that it was part of a presentation for a class assignment on legal studies.

Police are now investigating a video of the incident, which has sparked outrage on social media.

The controversial presentation

A clip of six students parading down a path in white KKK costumes while carrying crosses and shovels was posted to X on Apr. 14.

The video has garnered more than 4.3 million views as of Apr. 16.

Other pictures of the students posing in their attire were met with swift criticism after they were shared to social media.

The Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist hate group founded in America in 1865, notoriously promoted violence and intimidation against African Americans, Jews, immigrants and other minority groups.

University defended KKK presentation

On Apr. 15, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) issued a statement defending the actions of the group of students who wore KKK robes on its Dengkil campus in Selangor, New Straits Times and Free Malaysia Today reported.

UiTM said it did not find the act offensive towards any religion.

According to the university, the act was part of an assignment aimed at fostering critical thinking and raising student awareness on international human rights issues.

UiTM said the students had chosen to present about racial discrimination and colour-based hatred, NST reported.

“The costumes were part of a visual to help provide a better understanding and appreciation of the topic,” UiTM added, according to FMT.

UiTM also urged the public to assess the incident through an academic lens in line with the spirit of "inclusive and dynamic education", and not to interpret it out of context.

Police investigating the incident

Local police are now investigating a clip involving the university's students, Malaysia media reported.

Sepang district police chief Norhizam Bahaman said on Apr. 15 that a report was lodged about the clip over concerns of racism.

"The video is believed to be part of an assignment for the university's Contemporary Global and Legal Issues subject, which required students to re-enact past events involving the Ku Klux Klan, an American white supremacist group from the 1800s," Norhizam said, according to NST.

He said the clip depicted historical events, such as the murder of black individuals by white individuals during the KKK’s rise, and the subsequent implementation of anti-discrimination laws, The Malay Mail reported.

Norhizam added that the case is still under investigation and urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information.

Top image from @YuenA_9/X & @yapxiang/X