Artists condemn the police investigation of Datuk A. Samad Said, National Laureate for reciting a poem during the Bersih 2.0 launch on 19 June 2011 at the Chinese Assembly Hall. Malaysian artists and writers of all disciplines and ethnicities unite to condemn the police investigation of Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) Datuk A. Samad Said, 76, for alleged sedition. Datuk Samad was called by the police on 25 June, 2011, for reading a poem at the Bersih 2.0 launch on 19 June. He was told he was being investigated under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 27(5) of the Police Act 1967 relating to unlawful assembly. Artists and writers are appalled that the reading of a poem can be considered seditious. In the context of the many arrests that have been recently carried out on sympathisers of the Bersih 2.0 rally planned for 9 July, we believe that the investigation on Datuk Samad amounts to an act of harassment and intimidation. This is something that we, as citizens of Malaysia, do not condone. We the undersigned artists and writers hereby state the following: 1)That every citizen has the right to speak up and to take a stand on issues of national interest. Malaysian citizens have the right to freedom of speech and the right to lawful assembly. 2)That the recent harassments/arrests will not prevent Malaysian artists from continuing to support the principles of freedom of speech and expression. 3)That the arrests will also not stop Malaysian artists from creating work that challenges the status quo and points out corruption, injustice, unfairness and other practices that undermine democracy.
4)That freedom of speech or expression has been argued by some to have its limits in a plural society such as Malaysia’s, but those limits do not include the arbitrary intimidation and arrest of individuals for expressing themselves, however offensive to some.
5)That Datuk A Samad Said is a nationally respected and internationally recognised public figure who has provided leadership and guidance for the benefit of many.
6) That the call for ‘Free and Fair Elections’ is a legitimate and reasonable claim and we support it unreservedly. We artists and writers call for a complete STOP to these tactics of intimidation against Datuk A. Samad Said and all others who want a better Malaysia.
Undersigned
1. PERSATUAN SENI RUMAH AIR PANAS 2. FIVE ARTS CENTRE 3. THE JUMPING JELLYBEANS SDN BHD 4. RUMAH ANAK TEATER 5. INSTANT CAFÉ THEATRE 6. THE PARKING PROJECT 1. Kee Thuan Chye 2. Farish A Noor 3. Anne James 4. Marion D’Cruz 5. Nur Hanim Khairuddin 6. Wong Hoy Cheong 7. Rahmat Haron 8. Chai Chang Hwang 9. Yap Sau Bin 10. Eddin Khoo 11. Janet Pillai 12. Fahmi Fadzil 13. Dr. Siti Zainon Ismail 14. Mano Maniam 15. Jo Kukathas 16. Sharaad Kuttan 17. Pyanhabib Rahman 18. Yee I-Lann 19. Tengku Sabri Tengku Ibrahim 20. Goh Lee Kwang 21. Joe Kidd 22. Hasnul Jamal Saidon 23. Elizabeth Cardosa 24. Lim Kok Yoong 25. Chuah Chong Yong 26. Ismail Hashim 27. Lee Kian Seng 28. Sharon Chin 28. Ng Seksan 30. Chong Kim Chiew 31. Koh Cheng Kuan 32. Chan Kok Hooi 33. Bernice Chauly 34. Loo Hoe Tiang 35. Amir Zainorin 35. Abdullah Jones 36. Dr. Carmen Nge 37. Goh Sze Ying 38. Tshiung Han See 39. Bebek 40. Adeline Ooi 41. Beverly Yong 42. Au Sow Yee 43. Jason Tan 44. Iskandar Razak 45. Wong Pey Yu 46. Wong Eng Leong 47. Shanthini Venugopal 48. Charlene Rajendran 49. Shieko Reto 50. Ezrena Marwan 51. Rachel Jena 52. Chi Too 53. Daniel Chong 54. Zedeck Siew 55. Al-Jafree Md. Yusop 56. Nusratnajwani Bt. Mohammad 57. Tey Tat Sing 58. Ili Farhana 59. Roopesh Sitharan 60. Low Yi Chin 61. Tan Ru Yi 62. Leong Ching Foon 63. Tan Ming Jie 64. Nyu Ka Jin 65. Ise Aka Roslisham Hashim 66. Hamidon Bin Ahmed 67. Christina Kang 68. Shaffiq Ahmad 69. Lim Li Wen 70. Tan Hui Koon 71. Tan Sei Hon 72. JC Wong 73. Dr. Goh Beng Lan 74. Lui Thai Hong 75. Munkao 76. Chifong Foo 77. Chang Fee Ming 78. Gan How Ming 79. Patricia Leong 80. Meor Khairol Nizam Bin Meor Nazro 81. Phuan Thai Meng 82. Chai Chik Ying 83. Suzanne Chin Suk Ching 84. Jason Lai 85. Ng Ee Ching @ Candice 86. Tc Liew 87. Suzy Sulaiman 88. Cheng Yen Pheng 89. Ahmad Syakir 90. Melissa Lin 91. Chong Wu Ling 92. Airmaz 93. Muhammad Tarzizi 94. Yin Shao Loong 95. John Rock 96. Linus Chung 97. Snow Ng 98. Loh Yeen Teng 99. Juria Toramae 100. Koh Nguang How 101. Leong Tzu Ann 102. Ayisha Rahman 103. Nor Akmar Nahar 104. Annabelle Ng 105. Hipodamus 106. Mark Teh 107. Marzuki Mahbob 108. Mohd Aizat Ahmad Tarmizi 109. Ronnie Khoo 110. Saiful Razman 111. Eva McGovern 112. Justin Lim 113. Vincent Leong 114. Joseph Foo 115. Simon Soon 116. Govin Ruben 117. Gan Chin Lee 118. Ayam Fared 119. Wening Cheah 120. Matotytee 121. Valentine Willie 122. Thor Kah Hoong 123. Foo Kee How 124. Carolyn Joan Lau 125. Gan Siong King 126. Sukania Venugopal 127. Foo Fei Ling