ROHINGYA activist Noor Azizah's decision to make her Instagram account private is evidence that mounting pressure from Malaysians has begun to affect the activist following her controversial speech in Australia, according to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Professor of International Law Prof Dr Salawati Mat Basir.
Salawati said the move came after Malaysians criticised Noor Azizah across social media platforms and lodged complaints with Marie Claire Australia, which organised the Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards where the activist delivered her widely criticised speech.
"If we look at what happened, after she condemned us, many people criticised her on social media, including lodging complaints with Marie Claire, the Australian government and the relevant social media platforms.
"She (Noor Azizah) could not withstand the pressure, which is why she decided to make her social media account private. If we simply let it continue, she will keep portraying Malaysia negatively because she benefits from doing so," she told Harian Metro.
Salawati was commenting after checks by Harian Metro found that Noor Azizah's Instagram account had recently been switched to private mode, while criticism of the activist has continued across multiple social media platforms, with users also encouraging others to report her accounts.
The academic further alleged that Noor Azizah has links to several non-governmental organisations in Malaysia that, she claimed, receive funding from groups she described as being sympathetic to Zionist interests.
"When I looked at the information that was sent to me, it appeared credible. In my view, individuals like this obtain funding through such channels.
"That is why they are given recognition and a platform. It is a common tactic. When people like this are elevated, the international community becomes more sympathetic towards Rohingya refugees.
"The greater the sympathy they receive, the more invitations they obtain and the more funding they receive," she said.
Salawati also questioned Noor Azizah's role within the Rohingya community, claiming she had been contacted by members of the Rohingya diaspora in Australia.
"I was contacted by members of the Rohingya community in Australia. They claimed that she does not help them and instead distances herself from the Rohingya community there.
"So where is the assistance that is often claimed? To my knowledge, there is none," she said.
Addressing allegations of links to pro-Zionist groups, Salawati said she believed Noor Azizah received financial backing from organisations supportive of such causes.
"Not directly from Zionists, but from parties providing funding who are pro-Zionist. Movements like this seek to discredit countries so that their societies become divided and unstable. That is a common strategy in geopolitics.
"Noor Azizah's decision to make her Instagram account private shows that pressure from Malaysians is having an effect. If she were truly courageous and sincere in her position, why would she need to make her account private?" she said.
She also commented on complaints lodged by Malaysians with the University of Sydney after an old video of Noor Azizah delivering a graduation speech resurfaced following the Marie Claire awards controversy.
"Malaysians lodged complaints with the university, and it had an impact. They probably did not expect such a strong reaction from people in Asia," she said. - June 28, 2026
