GEORGE TOWN, Nov 26 — An exhibition by political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, popularly known as Zunar, at Komtar yesterday turned chaotic after Penang Umno Youth members ambushed the event.
About 50 protesters from the party stormed into the exhibition hall on the third floor and cornered the cartoonist, demanding that he pack up and leave.
The mob also questioned Zunar’s rationale behind organising the exhibition which they said painted a bad image on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and ridiculed government policies, mainly the Goods and Services Tax.
Penang Umno Youth chief Rafizal Rahim called for calm and requested Zunar to remove his drawings.
Zunar, however, told Rafizal to refer to the chief minister’s office.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had earlier in the day launched the exhibition.
The situation became tense, forcing the Federal Reserve Unit to be deployed.
Zunar was escorted out by police as the organiser removed the drawings for security reasons.
Rafizal and several others later lodged a police report against Zunar and the state government at the Northeast District Police headquarters in Jalan Patani.
“We asked Zunar to take down the comics and he nodded. We take that as a yes,” Rafizal said.
“But we will return to see if he displays the comics again,” he said in a press conference after lodging the report.
