Zunar’s Court Case Held Wednesday; Decision July 14



The Malaysian cartoonist Zunar sent out a letter today providing an update on the progression of his court case challenging the government over the 2009 banning of his books 1Funny Malaysia and Perak Darul Kartun. The court case was held at Kuala Lumpur High Court on May 11, with Judge Rohana Yusuf hearing from both sides. Zunar, real name Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaq, joined his publishers in filing a challenge last summer.

According to the report provided by the cartoonist from a local media source, the government's lawyer Noor Hisham (officially representing Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Abu Seman Yusuf) maintained the previously stated public position that the books could lead to public disorder and this is what caused their banning. The source for that disorder would ostensibly be the "terrible accusations" made by the cartoonist against political officials. Hisham further suggested that there cannot be a judicial review in those case where the minister is attempting to maintain public order, and that any decision of the court must focus on the process of the decision, not whether that decision is right or wrong.

Lawyer K. Shanmuga, representing Zunar and the publishers Mkini Dot Com Sdn Bhd and Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, noted that the banning notice said the books were prejudicial, not that they were likely to be so as the lawyers now claimed. He also pointed out, as the cartoonist has in public appearances, that the books were out for more than half a year without a breach of the peace, and that no evidence for believing that this happened has been supplied by the minister. He further suggested, as Zunar has to the press and to the public, that this more about the image of the politicians than any other factor. He suggested a "reasonable and proportionate" response standard was not met by the banning.

Zunar had the best line of the day -- several days -- in responding to a question about whether or not his work could force people to lose trust. "You can only lose something you have. The people who read my books have already lost trust in the government."

photo of Zunar at the KL High Court on May 11, 2011 provided by the cartoonist
 
posted 12:00 pm PST | Permalink
 

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