Cartoons, satires and parodies should not be dealt with in the same seriousness as written prose, said a Court of Appeal judge.
In a written judgment on the lifting of the ban on the cartoon books by political cartoonist Zunar released yesterday, Justice Mohamada Ariff Md Yusoff said all cartoons are meant to “exaggerate, satirise and parody life”.
This includes “political life”, added Justice Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.
“We are not dealing with serious and sober works of literature in written prose. We are instead dealing with cartoons, political cartoons, satire and parody.
“No reasonable person will read a cartoon with the same concentration, contemplation and seriousness as one would when reading a work of literature.
“When read (more likely, glanced through), they would tickle the ribs, perhaps evoke a chuckle, and makes one reflect for a momentary instance the humorous side of life," he said.
Muhammad Ariff also said that although the cartoon by Zunar, or his real name Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaq, could be deemed “rude”, but there was no evidence they undermined public order.
The three-member bench yesterday unanimously lifted the ban on Zunar’s books ‘1 Funny Malaysia’ and ‘Perak Darul Kartun'.
Justice Ariff’s written judgment was published later in the day.
The court also ordered that the seized copies of the books held by the Home Ministry to be returned to Zunar.
Others on the bench were Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Varghese George Varughese.
The books were published by Zunar's Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd and Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd, the owner of independent news portal Malaysiakini. -M'kini
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