Khalid said cartoonists, like Zunar, were allowed to joke around, but it was not in the Malaysian culture to insult leaders.
“Let me put it to you. If a group of cartoonists decides to draw a cartoon on the Penang chief minister, with a ‘hidung senget’ (crooked nose), among other insulting things, would he (CM) allow me to stay quiet? No!
“Zunar can draw whatever he wants, so long as it does not insult anyone. If the cartoonist draws things like old mcdonald or donald duck (sic) then go ahead, nobody cares. Just do not insult people,” Khalid told reporters at Universiti Sains Malaysia today.
Recently cartoonist Zunar was detained by police and was investigated for disturbing the peace at an exhibition in Komtar recently. This was 10th arrest pertaining to his cartoons to date.
When asked about claims that Malaysia was a laughing stock following the arrest, Khalid said only “certain people” were laughing.
“That is what you perceive, and what you want people to perceive. (These cartoons) are ‘cara halus’ (subtle way) to incite hatred towards government leaders.”he said.
Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, claimed some 30 men claiming to be Umno Youth members had harassed and assaulted him at an exhibition in Komtar here last week. The exhibition was cancelled.
Nibong Tebal Umno Youth chief Mohd Norhiesam Ismail then lodged a police report, saying Zunar’s drawings had disturbed the peace of Malaysians at large.
Norhiesam said it was unacceptable for Zunar to depict national leaders like Prime Minister Najib Razak in a bad light.
Meanwhile, Khalid said there would be no double standards in the investigation, saying the Umno members, too, were called in for questioning.
“If action is taken against Zunar, everyone goes ‘woah!’. There is a perception that police did not take action over this. This is not true.
“Investigations would be carried out on both sides, please be patient.”