Zunar in a defiant mood during the launch of his latest satire on the prime minister's wife in Petaling Jaya today. – AFP pic, February 14, 2015.
Police today confiscated copies of cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque's satire on the prime minister's wife, ahead of its planned launching today in Petaling Jaya.
The cartoonist, better known as Zunar, told the crowd gathered for the launch at 10am that police took away copies of the book while they were being transported to the venue at the Taman Jaya lake. The event started three hours late as a result.
He said the police stopped staff of the printing company bringing the books before taking away some 200 copies.
"The books have been confiscated by the police on their way here. Only a few copies are here," he said.
He then told people that they could still buy the books online and started receiving orders.
"ROS in Kangkongland" is a collection of cartoons on Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
Zunar said his latest work is dedicated to Rosmah because he was inspired by her.
"This book is about Rosmah, Rosmah is my 'idol'. She gives me a lot of inspiration," he said at the launch.
"Every time she opens her mouth, I'm inspired, whenever she keeps quiet, I don't get any inspiration."
Cartoonist Zunar speaks to the crowd in Taman Jaya, Petaling Jaya, this afternoon. Copies of his latest satire book on the prime minister's wife were however confiscated and could not be sold at the launch today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, February 14, 2015.Zunar, whose previous works were banned, is under police investigation for sedition.
He was released yesterday after three days in remand for posting on his Twitter account a critical remark about the judiciary, following the jailing of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on February 10.
Zunar said that every time he was detained, the printing company that printed his books would also be raided.
When he was arrested earlier this week, the printer of "ROS in Kangkongland" decided to halt work on the book, he said.
The printing company, which he did not name, resumed printing after he was released from remand yesterday.
Zunar said the police's actions would not stop him from continuing his work as a satire cartoonist.
"I will give a clear message to them, that I will never stop. I will continue to fight through cartoons, to overthrow a cartoon government," he said.
He also said he was prepared to be charged since he was already under investigation for sedition.
"I expect this, I'm already prepared for the worst as a political cartoonist in Malaysia when you fight an oppressive government," he said.
Zunar said he expected police reports to be lodged against his new book on Rosmah and that any moves to penalise him for his cartoons would only make Malaysia a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community.
He said the government's actions against him made Putrajaya itself look like a cartoon.
"I hope one day this government will be finally kicked out by cartoonists, because it is a cartoon government."
He said he had drawn cartoons of the judiciary because the courts were "the last defenders of a democratic country".
"If you have an independent judiciary, people still have hope.
"But if you don't have, nobody will protect us anymore," he said.
Also present at the book launch were Batu MP Tian Chua from PKR, and indelible ink whistle-blower, former air force major Zaidi Ahmad.
Zaidi, who was to have launched the book, said Malaysians had to make a stand against an unjust government.
- TMI
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