Three student activists trying to promote next week's #TangkapMalaysianOfficial1 rally were arrested by police at UiTM's Seri Iskandar campus in Ipoh, Perak today.

The three – Muhammad Luqman Nul Hakim Zul Razali, Luqman Hakim and Ashraff Nazrin – are said to be detained at the Perak Tengah police district headquarters.

When contacted, student activist Anis Syafiqah, who was present at the scene, told Malaysiakini the trio were arrested after trying to enter the campus grounds.

"We arrived at UiTM at around 5pm and the police were already on standby.

"We asked them nicely to allow us to enter the campus to meet our friends as we wanted to explain about Malaysian Official 1, but they refused so we had to speak outside.

"After we finished speaking more than an hour later, we asked to be let in again but they still refused.

"Three of my friends then tried to climb in and the police arrested and handcuffed them," she said.

Anis said more than 10 police and auxiliary police officers were present, as well as a UiTM administrator.

The #TangkapMalaysianOfficial1 rally is set to take place on Aug 27, and is aimed at pressuring local authorities to arrest and charge Malaysian Official 1.

'Malaysian Official 1' is the individual mentioned in the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) lawsuit to seize assets purportedly purchased using money siphoned from 1MDB.

The DOJ believes that US$3.5 billion was stolen from the Malaysian fund and at least US$731 million went to 'Malaysian Official 1'.

Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli in a statement tonight condemned the arrests.

He said Teja state assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang and Simpang Pulai state assemblyperson Tan Kar Hing were en eroute to assist the students.

"Coincidentally, I will be in Seri Iskandar tomorrow and if they have yet to be released, I will try to meet and negotiate with the officers involved," he said.