‘Dirty’ comics about Bersih making the rounds

The same comics were also available at an official EC function.

PETALING JAYA: Once again cartoons have become the chosen weapon of the anti-Bersih groups as Lembah Pantai residents found out this morning: they awoke to find the bright yellow comic books in their mailboxes.

The contents of the 12-page booklet, entitled “8 Tuntutan Bersih Yang Perlu Anda Tahu (The 8 Bersih Demands That you Should Know), mocked both Bersih’s demands as well as Pakatan Rakyat.

The comics also vilified Bersih chairman, S Ambiga, as well as Pakatan Rakyat leaders including PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and newly-minted PAS deputy president, Mat Sabu.

The booklet was published by Gerakan Generasi Prihatin Malaysia (GenPrima). The back-cover listed the many reasons why the “illegal rally” was being held.

Among those reasons were to divert attention from Anwar’s sodomy case and the sex video, to cover up PAS’ shame of dropping the Islamic state and to overthrow the government by force.

Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar, didn’t mince her words when condeming this latest attack on both coalitions.

“I’m not ruling out the complicity of the police force and security apparatus,” she told FMT. “In March, lewd comics of the opposition leader was circulated in Lembah Pantai, but the police still don’t have any leads. And now there’s another comic series going around.”

The previous comic booklet, entitled “Kisah Juara Raja Lawak”, was mailed to newly registered voters in her constituency and contained obscene images of Anwar. This booklet, however, was slipped into residents’ mailboxes.

“The comics made wild allegations including painting Ambiga as someone out to topple the government,” she said. “It was filled with hatred and lies. There is no way this could have been done without government support.

“It’s a concerted attempt to create a climate of fear. And people are angry but they are also scared. I’m truly speechless over this incident.”

Nurul noted that the booklet was professionally designed and appeared to draw inspiration from Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia’s cartoon column, “Senyum Kambing”.

She also said that a leaflet with similar sentiments was distributed at the Bangsar mosque last night. The leaflet shot racial slurs at Ambiga as well as the Indian and Chinese communities. It also threatened to “kill off” the Pakatan leadership.

“We will definitely be lodging a police report over this later today,” Nurul assured. “We must because even if the police do not take any action at least we have it on record.”

Comic available at official EC event

Even more shockingly these comics were also made available at an official Election Commission (EC) luncheon talk in Seri Pacific hotel last Thursday.

The booklets were displayed on a table outside the ballroom that was manned by EC staff. The staff, however, were not seen distributing the booklets themselves.

The luncheon, entitled “Bersih’s demands – what is EC’s explaination?” was aimed at explaining the EC’s stand on each of the eight demands.

But during the talk EC deputy chairman, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, accused Bersih of being a political tool to topple the government.

Both the EC chairman, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, and Wan Ahmad are currently in Bangkok on invitation by the Thai government to monitor the country’s polls tomorrow.

EC’s public relations executive, Sabri Said, declined to comment on the incident.

“This is related to EC policies and only the chairman or his deputy is allowed to issue a statement,” he said.

Stephanie Sta Maria