Cops quiz artist in ‘Rebirth’ book cover probe

The police have recorded a statement from the artist who designed the artwork which resembles the national coat of arms used on the "Rebirth" book cover.

Deputy director (Investigation/Legal) of Bukit Aman Criminal Investigations Department, Mior Faridalathrash Wahid has confirmed this with Malaysiakini yesterday.

"We recorded the artist's statement yesterday (July 2)," he said.

The statement from the artist, who was not named, was taken by Bukit Aman's Classified Crime Investigation Unit.

The probe came several days after the police raided the company of the publisher Gerakbudaya in Petaling Jaya on June 30.

The police had received 32 reports concerning the controversial book cover which certain quarters claimed to have insulted the national emblem.

Books seized

This had prompted the Home Ministry to order the police to investigate and take stern action on the matter.

Its minister, Hamzah Zainudin, had stressed that it's an offence to imitate the coat of arms under Section 3(1)(a) of the Emblems and Names Act 1963.

At the raid, the police seized 313 units of the book and also took a statement from Gerakbudaya director Chong Ton Sin.

Prior to that, Chong had issued an apology to anyone offended by the cover, saying that he did not have any intention to insult anyone or meant any ill intention in using the image as the book cover.

According to graphic designer Fahmi Reza, the image used on the book cover was an oil painting that was publicly exhibited six years ago when the country was under the BN administration.

“Rebirth” is a compilation of articles written by various writers on the change of government in 2018 edited by Kean Wong. In the wake of the controversy, the Home Ministry gazetted a ban against the book on Monday. - Mkini