Political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, has once again been detained by the police.
This time, he was arrested by five plain-clothes police officers during a fundraising event called “Tea with Zunar” held at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) today.
His wife Fazlina Rosley confirmed to Malaysiakini that her husband was being brought to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters.
“The police officers have been here since 2.15pm and an hour later, came upstairs and told Zunar that he has to stop the event and is being detained.”
She is however uncertain under what act her husband was being detained under. The latest tweet on his account by his admin alleges that he’s being investigated under Section 124C of the Penal Code for activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
At least 1,000 of Zunar’s cartoon books which were up for auction and sale were confiscated. T-shirts bearing the word ‘dedak” were similarly confiscated.
Apart from Zunar, civil activist Lawrence Jayaraj, DAP member Jimmy Wong and two other guests were also arrested.
.@zunarkartunis arrested again, this time at fundraiser event at KLSCAH. A guest and DAP's Jimmy Wong are nabbed when they try to intervene. pic.twitter.com/yerUFwapBH
— malaysiakini.com (@malaysiakini) December 17, 2016
Himpunan Hijau's @wongtack and columnist KJ John try to intervene as police nab @zunarkartunis at a fundraiser in KL. Zunar not told why. pic.twitter.com/JYzIkf7twN
— malaysiakini.com (@malaysiakini) December 17, 2016
Wong was detained for “obstructing the police from carrying out their duties”.
In one of the videos obtained by Malaysiakini, one of the police officers is seen asking who had organised the event and asking for the identification cards of those responsible.
He then turned to a man and told him to let the police do their job.
The man replied that they were not disturbing the police and asked why he was not allowed to be there.
To this, the police officer replied: “Please lah, you don’t... I tell you, I will arrest you”.
He then called for a fellow police officer to arrest the man if he resisted.
“If he opens his mouth again, arrest him for obstructing a civil servant,” he said, subsequently instructing the other police officer to detain the man.
“Arrest anyone who obstructs and bring them straight to the lock-up,” he added.
Based on photographs and other videos, lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan, activist Wong Tack, columnist KJ John and PKR MP G Manivannan were also present at the event.
In another video, Wong can be seen telling the police officer that this was an “abuse of power”.
Zunar, last month, was arrested for sedition for holding an exhibition on cartoons that allegedly insulted Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
He was arrested under Section 504 of the Penal Code which deals with intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.
Zunar was nabbed by police after his exhibition in Komtar was thrashed by Penang Umno members led by state Youth chief Rafizal Abdul Rahim. Zunar was released from detention a day later.
