Photo via NST
Political artist and activist, Fahmi Reza is under investigation over two caricatures he made referring to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
It’s understood that he’s being probed under Section 500 of the Penal Code, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, which relates to defamation made against another person, and improper use of network facilities or services respectively.
After being questioned by police for two hours yesterday (March 10th), an unfazed Fahmi took to Twitter to explain that despite being convicted in the past for his caricatures, to him, having the rights to express oneself freely and being able to exercise his civic responsibility to speak up on current affairs remains of utmost importance.
“Before this, I have been caught, investigated, charged, tried in court, found guilty, was punished, and even fined RM30,000 all because of my graphics. That was four years ago, and I have never stopped since.
“Whatever I post is part of me expressing my freedom, as a Malaysian, to comment on the current events and as a graphic designer, I make these remarks through my satirical and parodic artworks and designs,” he told reporters.
Putrajaya district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Fadzil Ali confirmed that the investigation was carried out following two police reports made by Health Ministry (MOH) officials in October last year.
Fahmi is no stranger to controversy, but he always maintains that he takes full responsibility for them however the effects may turn out to be, and how all of the pieces, controversial or not, have never been deleted or removed from his social media platforms.
Photo via New Naratif
If you’ve never heard the name “Fahmi Reza”, he’s probably best known for depicting former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, as a clown.