Two years after his public exhibition in Komtar was violently disrupted by "Umno thugs" and his art pieces seized by the police, political cartoonist Zunar is making a comeback to Penang this weekend, Dec 15 and 16, with three events.
Tomorrow, Penang Institute will host "Zunar: Exhibition and Talk" from 3pm to 4.30pm at its premises on Jalan Brown.
On Sunday, Zunar will meet fans in two book signing events at Times, Gurney Paragon, from 11am to 12 noon, and at Borders, Queensbay Mall, from 4pm to 5pm.
Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Alhaque, said his books were all "illegal" prior to May 9 as they were banned under the former BN government.
He was then investigated under the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Sedition Act.
"Thousands of my books were confiscated, printing factories and bookstores owners were threatened with arrest and jail.
" I have been arrested several times and charged, my office was raided many times and there were long court battles for all these books," Zunar said in a statement to Malaysiakini.
"Come new Malaysia, the situation changed. The illegal has now become legal (Dulu haram, sekarang halal)," he said.
His books - Ketawa Pink-Pink, Twit-twit Cin-Cin, Wasabi, Sapuman, ROS in Kangkongland and Pirate of Carry-BN - which mostly lampoon then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor - have become "valuable collectors' items", Zunar said, adding that "every title has its own story and history".
Despite the previous attack on him, which led to Zunar suing the police for failing to return 15 of his costly artworks, Penang has a special place in his heart.
"I choose Penang because for me, Penangites are among those who stood firmly behind me during my hard times, including the time when I was attacked by thugs at my exhibition in Komtar two years ago.
"They (Penangites) have continued to give me moral support and created space for me to continue my activities in the island during the times when the space for independent arts were limited," Zunar added.
"To meet them and autograph their books is a way of me saying thank you to all Penangites," stressed Zunar, who was the recipient of the Cartoonist for Peace Award presented by the then United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan in Geneva in 2016. - Mkini
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