Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, 31^st August 2010: 

Why police investigating Wee Meng Chee for sedition when nothing seditious in his latest rap against Kulai principal for making racist slurs against students?

It has been reported that the police went to the Muar house of young Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee 15 minutes before midnight on the eve of the 53rd National Day, leading to the following posting on Wee’s Facebook:

“3 POLICE CARS FINALLY CAME TO MY MUAR HOME TO ARREST ME***** this happened 15 minutes before our 53rd National Day Celebration, YES, I'm still here but for how long more, I don't know ... my beloved MALAYSIA, where is our justice system?! (THIS IS NOT A JOKE)”.

This message has attracted more than 4,500 comments in 15 hours.

Johor Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Amer Awal has denied any police plan to arrest Wee, saying that they are still investigating Wee’s case.

The Federal CID chief Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin has however confirmed that Wee was being investigated under the Sedition Act.

The question is why the Police is investigating Wong for sedition when there is nothing seditious in his latest 3-minute rap against the Kulai secondary school principal for making racist slurs against students while the school principal is still scot-free for her seditious racism?

Wong can be faulted for being crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene as his fury was directed at the school principal of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Kulai, Hajah Siti Inshah binti Mansor, for making racist, derogatory and seditious remarks like: “Pelajar-pelajar Cina tidak diperlukan dan boleh balik ke China ataupun Sekolah Foon Yew. Bagi pelajar India, tali sembahyang yang diikat di pergelangan tangan dan leher pelajar nampak seakan anjing dan hanya anjing akan mengikat seperti itu.”

Just because UMNO Puteri chief Rosnan Rashid Shirlin is offended by Wee’s latest videoclip does not automatically make the rap seditious and an offence under the Sedition Act.

Are the youth wings of Barisan Nasional parties, particularly from Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC and all the Barisan Nasional Ministers prepared to take a stand that Wee’s latest video clip may be guilty of being crude, vulgar and abusive but definitely not sedition?

In this connection, the Police should explain the purpose of sending three patrol cars to Wee’s house in Muar just before midnight last night – was it to arrest Wee, to get a statement from Wee or just to create an atmosphere of fear?

If the police had wanted to get a statement from Wee, why was it necessary to send three patrol cars to Wee’s house in Muar 15 minutes before midnight of National Day?

Finally, Malaysians are wondering whether when the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak recently spoke of “zero tolerance for racism”, he was thinking of police action against Wee instead of no-holds-barred action against the real racists and extremists who had made a mockery of his 1Malaysia slogan and policy and blighted the country’s prospects for economic rebound with incessant racist rhetoric.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor