Student activist Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi has vowed to mount a legal challenge against Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's decision to suspend him.

In a statement today, Asheeq Ali said that UKM's decision to suspend him for participating in the "Tangkap MO1" rally in August contravened the Federal Constitution which guaranteed the freedom to assemble peacefully.

"I'm taking legal action because UKM's internal appeal process is taking a very long time, more than a month (has passed since my suspension)," he said in a statement today.

The third-year law student was suspended for one semester over his involvement with the rally. He said his suit will also name the Higher Education Ministry and the government as defendants.

The rally was organised following the United States Department of Justice's court filing which said that one "Malaysian Official 1" received US$731 million that originated from 1MDB.

MO1 is a code name used in the DOJ's civil forfeiture suit and critics insisted it could only refer to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, despite having been cleared by the Attorney-General Apandi Ali.

Besides Asheeq, rally leader Anis Syafiqah Mohd Yusof and two other Universiti Malaya students - Mohd Luqman Hakim Fazli and Mohamad Luqman Nul Haqim Zul Razali - were also suspended for taking part in the rally.

Another UM student Suhail Wan Azhar was slapped with a RM400 fine.