Home Civil Society Voices 2016 Civil Society Voices Zunar: Kerajaan rasuah takut kepada kartun

Zunar: Kerajaan rasuah takut kepada kartun

Zunar faces tough times from the authorities. With back to camera is Ambiga, who was present during his arrest.

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[English version below] Pada 17 Dis 2016, saya [Zunar] ditangkap lagi ketika majlis kumpul dana bersama peminat-peminat.

Polis juga merampas lebih 1,000 buah buku dengan 12 judul menyebabkan kerugian dianggar RM30,000.

Saya telah di bawa ke balai polis dan diasiasat di bawah Seksyen 124 Kanun Keseksaan atas alasan “mengancam demokrasi berparlimen.” Dua orang pembantu saya dan dua orang peminat juga turut ditahan.

Saya disoal selama enam jam dan dibebas dengan ikat jamin pada tengah malam. Saya diminta melapor diri semula kepada polis pada 30 Disember 2016. Menurut polis, mereka akan ke mahkamah untuk melucut hak buku-buku saya.

Tangkapan tersebut adalah kali kedua dalam tiga minggu. Pada 26 November lepas, saya ditangkap dan dimasukkan ke lokap di bawah Akta Hasutan. Tangkapan itu dibuat sehari selepas Pemuda Umno menyerang pameran kartun saya di Komtar.

Kejadian-kejaadian ini menambah senarai panjang tekanan dan kekerasan oleh kerajaan Malaysia terhadap saya.

Pertengahan November lepas, kerajaan mula mengenakan sekatan menghalang saya dari keluar negara. Selain itu, saya sekarang sedang menghadapi sembilan tuduhan di bawah Akta Hasutan.

Sebelum itu, saya pernah dilokap dua kali di bawah Akta Hasutan, tujuh buku saya diharam, tiga kilang pencetak yang mencetak buku saya diserbu. Pejabat saya juga telah beberapa kali diserbu pihak berkuasa dan pengandali laman web saya ditangkap. Lengkapnya lihat di pautan sini.

Garis masa dalam pautan tersebut menunjukkan tekanan dan kekerasan terhadap saya meningkat dari tahun 2009 sehingga sekarang. Ini selari dengan kadar kenaikan rasuah dan ketidakadilan. Kerajaan rasuah takut kepada kartun.

Saya ingin menyatakan pendirian: Bakat bukan anugerah, tapi sebuah tanggungjawab. Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab saya sebagai kartunis untuk membongkar rasuah dan ketidakadilan. Adakah saya takut dipenjara? Ya. Tetapi tanggungjawab lebih besar dari ketakutan.

Mereka boleh haramkan buku saya, mereka boleh haramkan kartun saya, tetapi anda tidak boleh mengharamkan minda saya. Saya akan terus melukis hingga ke titisan dakwat terakhir.

Zunar: Corrupt government fears cartoons

On 17 December 2016, I was arrested again by the police during my fund-raising programme with my fans.

The police confiscated more than 1,000 books, which involved 12 titles, causing losses estimated at RM30,000.

I was taken to the police station and investigated under Section 124 of the Penal Code for activities “detrimental to parliamentary democracy”. Two of my assistants and two fans were also arrested.

I was questioned for almost six hours and released on bail at midnight. I would have to report back to the police station on 30 December 2016.

According to the police, they will apply a law to forfeit my rights (lucut hak) over my books.

The arrest was the second in three weeks. On 26 November 2016, I was arrested under the Sedition Act and detained in a police lock-up during my exhibition in Penang. The arrest came a day after a pro-government mob linked to Umno Youth attacked my exhibition at Komtar.

These incidents add to the long list of harrassment and intimidation aimed at me by the Malaysian government.

In November this year, the government imposed a travel ban on me to stop me from travelling abroad. Apart from that, I am now facing nine charges under the Sedition Act.

Prior to that, I was arrested and locked up twice under the Sedition Act, seven of my cartoon books are banned, and three of the printers who printed my books were raided. The authorities have also raided my office several times and arrested my webmasters.

The timeline in the link shows that the intimidation and harassment directed at me has escalated from 2009 until now. The pattern is directly proportionate to the increased level of corruption and injustice. A corrupt government fears cartoons.

I would like to point out my stand: talent is not a gift, but a responsibility. It is my responsibility as a cartoonist to expose corruption and injustice. Do I fear jail? Yes, but that responsibility is bigger that fear.

You can ban my books, you can ban my cartoons, but you cannot ban my mind. I will keep drawing until the last drop of my ink.

Zunar is an award-winning Malaysian political cartoonist.

Awards:

  • Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award 2011, by Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI)
  • Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Award for 2011 and 2015
  • Cartooning For Peace Award 2016, Geneva by Kofi Annan
  • International Press Freedom Award, Committee to Protect Journalists, New York 2015

To assist Zunar with financial contributions, click here.

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
  1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
  2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
  3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
  4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
  5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
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Thuraisingham Shan
20 Dec 2016 6.58pm

Artist version of cartoons tio a crime, anyway this is not te jurisdiction of the police ,its fir the ministry of Home affairs publicatuon division

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