Malaysian cartoonist and CRNI Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award winner Zunar reports that he’ll be in court next week to contest his ongoing travel ban.
Update: Zunar’s challenge on his travel ban is fixed for judicial review leave hearing on 27 March 2017, 9 am at KL Court (NCVC 9)
— Zunar Cartoonist (@zunarkartunis) March 22, 2017
The hearing follows the recusal of a judge in February. Despite the multiple restrictions placed upon him Zunar continues to draw and distribute cartoons focusing on Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor and the excesses of their government. Readers of this blog will know that Zunar’s cartoons have drawn the ire of various figures of authority, from cabinet minsters to the inspector general of police, as well as ruling party loyalists.
A fellow cartoonist in Malaysia criticised Zunar at an event earlier this week, saying his focus is too narrow. CRNI’s friend and colleague Prof. Dr Muliyadi Mahamood was there to provide context for Zunar’s choice of subject matter.
Zunar has published his own riposte, saying:
“This is what cartoonists around the world do – exposing corruptions and injustices. I do not create trouble, I am just performing my duty. The authorities are the ones who cause trouble because they cannot laugh at themselves when the read my cartoons. That said, that is their problem, for I do not change my style in any way to accommodate them. In a country where the freedom of expression is limited and the muzzling of mainstream medias is at large, cartoons can be a tool to tell the truth because it is one of the most powerful media to break the hegemony.”
UPDATE: Kuala Lumpur High Court has fixed 14 April as the date for a decision on Judicial Review of Zunar’s leave application, this being the first step before the main challenge can be proceed.
