Federal Constitution belongs in museum, says Zunar

Cartoonist says a Federal Constitution that allows the Sedition Act to be used against its citizens is so antiquated, it belongs in a museum.

PETALING JAYA: A Federal Constitution that makes it legal for the Sedition Act 1948 to be unleashed on its citizens is so antiquated, it belonged in a museum, said outspoken cartoonist Zunar.

He made this comment when expressing his disappointment over a court ruling yesterday against a challenge by law professor Azmi Sharom that the Sedition Act 1948 was unconstitutional.

“I thus suggest the Federal Constitution be placed in the museum and displayed as an antique material,” he was quoted by Malaysiakini as saying in a statement.

Zunar also said the Sedition Act was placing further “constraints” on the already limited freedom of expression that Malaysians struggled with and added that Malaysia was regressing to become like Zimbabwe under President Robert Gabriel Mugabe.

“We’re speeding in reverse. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is heading to the Mugabe era.”

He also said he had little faith in Malaysian courts as a result of yesterday’s ruling and that there was “no more hope for justice through the courts.”

Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, was recently chosen by Amnesty International as the first Malaysian for their biggest annual international campaign, ‘Write for Rights (#W4R) 2015′.

He has nine charges of sedition hanging over his head, for nine different tweets criticising the judiciary over the decision to imprison former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy on February 10 this year.

Zunar has had five of his cartoon books banned for allegedly promoting content “detrimental to public order” besides having his office in Kuala Lumpur raided several times and thousands of his books confiscated.

Azmi meanwhile was charged for sedition last year over an article he wrote about the 2009 Perak political crisis, entitled ‘Take Perak crisis route for speedy end to Selangor impasse, Pakatan told’ that was uploaded on an online news portal.