Catching up with Zunar – fighting through cartoons

By admin-s Last updated Feb 2, 2015

Zunar isn’t really that controversial a figure. What is controversial is a system that has left corruption unchecked but yet, it is somehow Zunar that is the target. A case of shooting the messenger?

Ghui, The Online Citizen

Zunar, celebrated cartoonist and Malaysia’s Enfant Terrible was in London recently and I had the opportunity to speak to the man about his cartoons, his aspirations and what motivates him.

As a political cartoonist, Zunar has no doubt been successful. He has published numerous books, been commissioned by the Washington Post, and had exhibitions in the United States, Sweden and the United Kingdom. His latest cartoon book has even been accepted into the Congress Library’s Collection in Washington, DC.

So popular is he that he has gotten flak from the establishment. Zunar’s books have been banned, he has been detained, charged with sedition, and had his office raided numerous times.

Zunar, whose cartoons often seek to highlight the political blunders and corruption within Malaysia’s corridors of power, isn’t really that controversial a figure. What is controversial is a system that has left corruption unchecked but yet, it is somehow Zunar that is the target. A case of shooting the messenger?

Across, the causeway, Singapore has its fair share of political commentators, such as Alex Au, Roy Ngerng and Mr Brown who have all sparked the ire of the ruling classes. Our very own cartoonist, Leslie Chew, has also been arrested for sedition for two cartoon strips.

In democratic nations, it is the responsibility of all citizens to be concerned about the policies in their countries. They have a stake and should have the right to question the government that they have elected. This ensures accountability.

Issues that affect the people should be freely highlighted. This is especially so in the age of the Internet where we have the means to be better engaged and informed.

Clamping down on individuals who have managed to amass a large following simply for pointing out various issues and asking inconvenient questions is at best a massive “sense of humour fail” and at worse seen as the establishment “trying to hide something”. None of these scenarios boost the establishment’s reputation and it is a paradox that they still persist.

Zunar’s battle cry “To Fight through Cartoon” is as profound as it is catchy. He firmly believes that everyone has a duty to fight against cronyism, corruption and nepotism – traits he believes plague the current government of Malaysia, which has incidentally been in power for over 57 years. He believes that any party that has held on to power for too long is bound to abuse its power. It becomes too easy and it is only human nature.