***With respect to the Home Ministry's consfiscation of materials from his newly set up cartoon magazine publishing company, Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd's, premises with its inaugural issue of "Gedung Kartun".
Zunar: I strongly deny Home Ministry’s allegations
1. Referring to the news article in Malaysikini dated 29th August 2009
which quotes the Home Minstry’s Corporate Communication Unit’s Head,
Jamilah Taib that Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, a company that I own will
be charged for publishing material without a publishing license.
According to Jamilah, Sepakat Efektif will be charged under Section
5(2) (b) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 for
distribution unlicensed publications. If convicted, the penalties are
not more than 3 years prison or a fine not exceeding RM20,000.00 or
both. The statement by Jamilah refers to the publication of a Cartoon
magazine titled ‘Gedung Kartun’.
2. For the record, before the publication of the magazine, I made an
application to the Home Ministry for the
Publication Permit and all requirements and conditions to obtain the
permit had been fulfilled.
On the 3rd of August our Company had contacted Officers from the Home
Ministry and we were informed that the permit had been approved and
the hard copy of the Publication Permit would be ready for collection
on the 14th of August 2009. On the said date we went to collect the
Publication Permit at the Home Ministry but were informed that the
Permit was not ready. I then requested for the Permit number so that
we could begin with production work on the understanding that when the
magazine would be printed and distributed in 10 days' time, the Permit
would be ready.
We were given the Permit Number PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398
by the officers on that day.
I refute any allegations that Gedung Kartun is published with a false
permit. The Home Ministry has made a serious accusation that implies
that I made up the Permit Number PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN
1688-5398.
3. I am bemused as to why the Publication Permit for Gedung Kartun is
yet to be issued and instead a raid was conducted and they now want to
charge me in court. Isn’t it better for them to issue the approved
Permit as they had informed me and solve all matters?
4. As the approved Publication Permit can only be signed off by the
Home Minister, I shall request in writing to meet with the Home
Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein to get an explanation on
whether he did or not approve the permit number
PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 on or before the 14th of August
2009 for Gedung Kartun magazine, as informed by Officers of the Home
Ministry.
5. I will also like to question the increasing difficulty in obtaining
Publication Permits. What then is meant by the Prime Minister that the
media will be freer under his Administration? Is it that under
1Malaysia, works of art and the voices of cartoonists will be under a
tighter grip?
6. If drawing cartoons results with 3 years imprisonment, imagine the
state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia.
7. I also urge for the draconian Printing Presses and Publication Act
1984 to be abolished.
Zunar
Political cartoonist, Gedung Kartun Editor
+6012 3058262
+603 22744931
1 September 2009
--Defend the rights of Cartoonists
**********************
Zunar: Saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya tuduhan KDN
1. Merujuk Berita Malaysiakini bertarikh 29 Ogos yang memetik kenyataan Ketua Komunikasi Korporat KDN Jamilah Taib bahawa Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd, iaitu syarikat milik saya akan didakwa kerana menerbitkan sebuah penerbitan tanpa permit penerbitan.
Menurut beliau, Sepakat Efektif didakwa di bawah Seksyen 5(2)(b) Akta Mesin Cetak 1984 kerana mengedarkan majalah yang tiada permit...Jika disabitkan kesalahan boleh dipenjara tidak lebih daripada tiga tahun atau denda tidak melebihi RM20,000 atau kedua-duanya sekali.---Laporan itu dipetik
Kenyatan itu merujuk kepada penerbitan sebuah majalah kartun berjudul Gedung Kartun.
2. Sebagai rekod, sebelum majalah ini diterbitkan, saya telah membuat permohonan pada 30 Jun kepada KDN untuk mendapatkan permit dan telah mematuhi semua peraturan yang disyaratkan.
Pada 3 Ogos, syarikat kami telah menghubungi pegawai KDN dan dimaklumkan permit telah lulus dan beliau meminta untuk mengambil surat penerbitan pada 14 Ogos. Pada 14 Ogos, kami pergi ke KDN untuk mengambil surat, walau bagaimana pun dimaklumkan surat belum siap.
Sehubungan itu, saya telah meminta agar nombor permit itu diberi terlebih dahulu supaya kami dapat menjalankan kerja-kerja produksi, dengan anggapan bahawa apabila majalah ini dicetak dan diedarkan sepuluh hari selepas itu, sudah pasti surat rasmi permit itu akan tiba. Dan nombor itu telah diberi oleh pegawai KDN.
Dengan itu saya menafikan sekeras-kerasnya bahawa Gedung Kartun diterbitkan dengan menggunakan permit palsu. Malahan KDN telah membuat tuduhan serius yang membawa implikasi bahawa permit bernombor PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 adalah rekayasa saya?
3. Saya tidak faham kenapa surat rasmi mengenai kelulusan permit Gedung Kartun sampai sekarang belum dikeluarkan oleh pihak KDN, sebaliknya mereka melakukan rampasan dan mahu mendakwa saya ke mahkamah. Bukanlah lebih baik dikeluarkan surat kepada saya dan semua masalah selesai?
4. Kerana permit penerbitan diluluskan menteri, saya akan menulis surat untuk bertemu sendiri dengan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein untuk mendapatkan penjelasan apakah benar beliau tidak pernah pada atau sebelum 14 Ogos meluluskan permit dengan nombor PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 untuk majalah Gedung Kartun?
5. Saya juga ingin bertanya, kenapa memperolehi permit penerbitan menjadi semakin sukar? Apakah ini yang dimaksudkan oleh Perdana Menteri bahawa media akan lebih bebas di bawah pemerintahannya? Apakah dibawah 1Malaysia, hak berkarya dan suara kartunis akan lebih dicengkam?
6. Jika melukis kartun boleh dipenjara tiga tahun, bayangkan bentuk kebebasan media dan kebebasan bersuara di negara kita.
7. Saya juga mendesak supaya akta lapuk, Akta Mesin Cetak 1948 dihapuskan.
Zunar
(Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque)
Political cartoonist, Gedung Kartun Editor
012 3058262
03 22744931
1 September 2009
--Pertahankan hak kartunis.
________________________
*** From The Star Online:
Saturday August 29, 2009
408 copies of cartoon mag seized
KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has seized 408 copies of a cartoon magazine and 18 printing plates from a company here for illegal publishing.
The seizure of the Bahasa Malaysia Gedung Kartun at Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd in Brickfields on Monday followed a tip-off, said the ministry in a statement. The printer, K. Vin Publisher, was charged with operating without a permit. — Bernama
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