GEORGE TOWN: Political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, popularly known as Zunar, says he will proceed with his plans to sue the police for removing his artwork from an exhibition two years ago despite police saying they will not press charges against him for sedition.
In October 2016, Zunar’s artwork was seized by the police and he was remanded for two days after Penang Umno Youth complained that his artwork insulted the then prime minister Najib Razak.
The exhibit was part of the George Town Literary Festival that year.
In a statement today, Zunar said police had since returned his artwork and had decided not to press charges against him.
“I was told my case is marked as ‘no further action’ or NFA. And my artworks have been returned. Sure, artworks can be returned, but ‘saman tetap saman’ (I will still sue),” he said.
In April, Zunar had issued a letter of demand to the police to return his artwork and apologise for acting without any grounds under the law.
Zunar’s lawyer, Cecil Rajendra, had said police seized the artworks without “just cause or reason” and unlawfully raided his exhibition.
Zunar said the artworks were worth a total of RM62,000.
Recently, the Sessions Court dropped nine sedition charges against Zunar who had pleaded not guilty to allegedly insulting the judiciary in tweets made in relation to Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction in the Sodomy 2 case.
He is also now free to travel out of the country after his travel ban was lifted by immigration authorities after the May 9 general election.
Meanwhile, Penang police chief Commissioner A Thaiveegan said he would issue a statement on the matter after consulting his officers.