Information, Communications, Culture Minister Rais Yatim has again warned that he might take action against the rap singer named Wee Meng Chee, better known by his Internet moniker 'Namewee', over his parody of the national anthem.

Wee, however, said he was amused by the “threat”.

namewee i wanna go home 090609 2 According to newspaper reports, Rais said yesterday that his ministry was considering taking further actions against Wee and was seeking advice from the attorney-general.

It appears that the ministry has yet to finish with Wee for his act of singing a parodied rap version of the national anthem Negaraku two years ago.

According to Rais, under Section 3 and Section 4 of the National Anthem Act, there is no provision to punish those who act disrespectfully against the national anthem.

Therefore, the ministry is studing whether they can act against Wee under the Sedition Act or the Criminal Procedure Code.

Responding to Rais’ statement, Wee told Malaysiakini in a phone interview that he was not worried that action would be taken against him.

“I was amused when I heard about it,” he said.

It is just a piece of 'humorous news'

Other than that, Wee also in his blog described Rais' statement as “humorous”.

namewee i wanna go home 090609 “I think that he (Rais) is a humorous person. If other ministers of culture are as humorous as he is, Malaysian culture will be more advance.”

“Some of his previous comments rendered me speechless,” Wee wrote in his blog.

Due to the controversy over his “different style” of singing the national anthem, Wee conceded that some Malaysians felt that he is “a traitor” to the country and an “extremist” who is “not patriotic” to Malaysia.

Therefore, since Wee graduated as a mass communication student from the Ming Chuan University in Taiwan last June, he has gone “backpacking” to several countries including China, making a documentary on Malaysians who had left to work overseas.

He had since produced a documentary named “I Wanna Go Home”, which was released nationwide last week.

“I have a great job in a Taiwanese famous variety show, and yet I have chosen to come back to my own country. This is because Malaysia is my home,” he said, adding that the documentary was made with the intention to change the people's perception of him, especially in Malaysia.

Wee said that even if the authorities take action against him, he will not regret his decision to return to Malaysia.

“I have to face the situation sooner or later. I cannot refuse to come back just because I am afraid of the consequences,” he said.

Accused by Umno of insulting Malays and Islam

Wee had composed a music video named "Negarakuku" in July 2007, which attracted more than a million views on video sharing website YouTube, and earned the wrath of Umno for allegedly insulting Malays and Islam.

With issues such as corruption within government departments and education opportunities based on racial quotas, his video generated much controversy and uproar in Malaysia.

In August 2007, Malay language newspaper Harian Metro slammed Wee’s actions for tampering with the national anthem and consequently Rais claimed that the song violated the National Anthem Act.

Rais had then warned that he would act against him if he was in the country and wanted him to apologise before National Day in August 2007.

However, the issue appeared to be settled when Wee and his father made an open apology to all Malaysians on Aug 14, through then Health Minister Chua Soi Lek.

Last Sept 23, accompanied by his parents, Wee went to the Bukit Aman police headquarters and was interviewed for three hours.