Published: Wednesday June 15, 2011 MYT 6:50:00 PM
Cartoonist Zunar sues Govt over seizure of books
By M. MAGESWARI
KUALA LUMPUR: A political cartoonist is suing the Government, Home Ministry and three others over the seizure of his 66 books and a painting last year.
In a suit filed by the law firm of Daim & Gamany here Wednesday, Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque - popularly known as Zunar - claimed that he had suffered damages and losses due to the seizure of both items by the police.
He said a police team - led by one officer Asst Supt Arikrishna Apparau - had raided his office in Brickfield at about 4pm on Sept 24 and seized all his Cartoon-o-phobia books, which he was preparing to launch in a widely-highlighted event, and an original painting.
Zulkiflee, who was also arrested during the raid, claimed that ASP Arikrishna did not explain to him clearly the reasons for his detention and the seizure of the books, and that the officer had merely pointed out several cartoons as "being seditious".
In his statement of claim, he said he was also taken to several police stations here and in Selangor before being remanded for a day at Sepang police station and had his statement recorded.
Zulkiflee, who also named the book's distributor Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd as co-plaintiff, said he also had to put up at Kuala Lumpur International Airport police station for a night.
He claimed that his arrest was made in bad faith and was clearly intended to stop the launching of his books.
Beside the Home Ministry and the Government, Zulkiflee also named ASP Arikrishna, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Asst Supt Marina Hashim - who led a team to seize the books from the publisher Malaysiakini.com on Sept 25 - as defendants.
However, ASP Marina did not find any book and only took a statement from Malaysiakini chief editor Steven Gan.
Among others, Zunar is applying for RM1,650 in special damages for the books and is asking for the return of the items as well as costs, interests and other relief deemed fit by the court.
- It takes nearly 72 hours to get a new polycarbonate passport now
- Najib: Rallies only lead to chaos
- Leave no stone unturned in latest death in lock-up case
- Give birth naturally, women urged
- King launches ‘Colours of 1Malaysia’ at Dataran Merdeka
- Housewife extorted over nude pics
- Election Commission promises utmost transparency in redelineation exercise
- Barisan leaders: 'All for one and one party for all’ a good idea
- Guan Eng confident of Pakatan unity despite pressure
- Too blessed to be stressed
- It can take longer to get a passport for time being
- Penang halts online passport applications
- Authorities move to prevent abuse of social media
- Mission schools ready to provide English-medium education
- Building English confidence among rural kids
- Travel Picks: Top 10 golf resorts around the world
- Chinese premier criticizes EU move on trade measures
- Justice Department opposes AMR's $20 million severance for CEO Horton
- News Corp to take charge of up to $1.4 billion this quarter
- Wall Street Week Ahead: Investors look for signs in the rally's break
- Unhappy with how your fave series is faring? Amazon gives you a say
- Visa, Mastercard ask U.S. court to declare card fees are lawful
- Wall Street posts first weekly loss since mid-April on Fed angst
- IMF's Lagarde escapes formal investigation in court
- Politics of development pays dividend
- A thematic play seen
- Sarawak counters hogging the limelight
- Getting GST acceptance will be tough
- A yen for the unloved dollar standard
- Bitten by the music bug
- Pandelela-Mun Yee and Yan Yee-Jun Hoong bag bronze medals in Mexico
- World No. 1 Nicol sinks Waters to reach British Open final
- China confident of sweeping aside their final opponents
- Koreans in the final despite Dong-keun’s loss
- Macdonald and Marques share the lead
- McIlroy among big names who miss the cut as Molinari leads
- Kuchar leads in weather-hit second round
- Two tied at the top as rain stops play in the Bahamas
- Nico Rosberg revels in the rain as Mercedes stamp their mark
- Whitmarsh: McLaren’s hopes were too high this season
- Affendi brushes off hand injury to win CP130 race in Terengganu
- Hafizh needs to step up a gear after coming in fifth
- Vignesa right on track to retain GT Open title
- Dragons’ Melton confident of getting the better of Pringle in Game 2
- Indiana bounce back against Miami to level series
- Election Commission promises utmost transparency in redelineation exercise
- The Wall Street Journal: Anwar asked Jusuf to broker deal over GE13
- It takes nearly 72 hours to get a new polycarbonate passport now
- Najib: Rallies only lead to chaos
- Housewife extorted over nude pics
- Leave no stone unturned in latest death in lock-up case
- Give birth naturally, women urged
- Too blessed to be stressed
- French soldier stabbed while on patrol near Paris
- Guan Eng confident of Pakatan unity despite pressure
- Too blessed to be stressed
- ‘Harry Potter Wong’ casts his spell
- It takes nearly 72 hours to get a new polycarbonate passport now
- DAP’s Ngeh in hot water over subservient tweet
- Rela man in coma after being rammed by biker
- Give birth naturally, women urged
- King launches ‘Colours of 1Malaysia’ at Dataran Merdeka
- Swedish capital returning to normal after week of violence
- Tribal violence on campus
- Punching their way to fitness
RSS
