GEORGE TOWN: Police arrested cartoonist Zunar today after he turned himself in for questioning following yesterday’s disturbance at an exhibition featuring his caricature works at Komtar here.
The exhibition, which featured caricatures of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak among others, was stormed by 50 enraged Penang Umno Youth members who demanded that the show be shut down on grounds that it was seditious.
The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) had to be called in to control the situation until Zunar agreed to have his artworks taken down.
Northeast police district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mior Farid Alathrash Wahid said Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, is being investigated under section 4(1)(c) under the Sedition Act.
Mior said Zunar will also be investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code with intentional insult to provoke a breach of the peace
"We will detain Zunar for 24 hours for investigations. He will be remanded tomorrow if more time is needed," he said.
Earlier, police had called Zunar in to have his statement recorded at the district police headquarters. Zunar was accompanied by his lawyer, R.S.N. Rayer.
During the confrontation at 2.30pm yesterday, the 50 Umno wing members, led by chief Rafizal Abdul Rahim, condemned the exhibition, which was held on the third floor of Komtar, near the state government office.
The mob demanded to see Zunar to vent their anger over images they claimed had slanderous undertones.
Chaos erupted when they were told Zunar refused to see them, with shouting and shoving heightening tensions.
After almost one hour, the cartoonist relented and faced the group under strong police presence, before ordering his staff to cancel the exhibition.
Some 20 caricature works were dismantled for the sake of security, as instructed by the police.