Zunar upset at police for ruining artwork on Rosmah’s hair, mulls suit
Political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, also known as Zunar, is blaming police for damaging an original piece of his art depicting Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor bouffant hairstyle and is threatening to sue the force.
He said the damaged artwork was an original collage that was confiscated along with over 66 copies of his "Cartoon-O-Phobia" comic books during a police raid on his office on September 24, 2010.
After over four years of being kept by the police for an investigation under the Sedition Act, the comic books and collage were returned to him last Friday at the Salak Tinggi police station in the presence of lawyer Michelle Yesudas, he said.
Although the comic books were returned in good condition, he was devastated to find that the collage depicting the prime minister and his wife was damaged.
"I am satisfied with the condition of the Cartoon-O-Phobia books, but I am disappointed and outraged by the condition of the collage.
"The drawing is unique, because the hair on the PM’s wife’s head was made with real hair, collected from barber shops and glued onto the image.
"The drawing has been folded, and badly damaged, thus causing the hair in the image, to come off," the satirist said in a statement today.
Zunar said the collage, an original piece of artwork, should have been handled with utmost care and respect.
"The police is to be held responsible for damaging my work of art.
"I will not tolerate this and will instruct my lawyer to take the necessary legal action for the mistreatment of my original cartoon drawing," he said.
In July 2012, the Kuala Lumpur High Court instructed the police to return the books and the drawing to Zunar, in a decision which was later upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Zunar has been hounded by the police over the years, being investigated under the Sedition Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act, and the Penal Code, over his satirical cartoons that criticise the government.
Last month, he was was detained and locked up under the Sedition Act, accused of tweeting seditious comments in relation to the Federal Court's decision which upheld the conviction of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy.
He is also being investigated for his comic books "Pirates of The Carry-BN" and "Conspiracy to Imprison Anwar".
His latest book, "ROS in Kangkong Land", is centred on Rosmah whom he once called his "inspiration".
Police, however, have twice stopped Zunar's attempts to launch the book in public. – March 23, 2015.
