Political cartoonist Zunar quipped that the idea of a cartoonist toppling a prime minister is not illegal but totally hilarious.

He was responding to Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak who yesterday had said he did not discount the possibility that the cartoonist might be part of of a collective effort to topple Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"If a cartoonist can topple the PM, that is not illegal, but hilarious," said Zunar in a statement today.

The minister's comment was part of a media statement lambasting Zunar's exhibition of his works in Geneva as an insult to Najib.

In his statement in answer to Salleh, Zunar provided his point-by-point rebuttal of Salleh's allegations against him and the works he exhibited.

Arguing with an extraterrestrial twist, he also dismissed Salleh’s claim that Malaysia is a democratic nation, saying that even “aliens from Mars” would find that hard to believe.

Zunar, a vocal critic of the government came out with cartoons and books decrying what he believed was rampant government corruption.

He has also been vocal on social media where his works and comments went viral.

For both of which he had his works banned, confiscated and recently slapped with a record number of nine sedition charges.

'Very funny minister'

Below is Zunar's rebuttal of the minister's lambast against him:

SALLEH: Malaysia is a democratic country which does not stop anyone from voicing their opinions, but this has to be done in the proper manner.

ZUNAR: Who do you think you want to fool? Even aliens from Mars will not believe your words. If Malaysia was a democratic country, why is it that there are more than 100 individuals who have been investigated, arrested, detained, charged and convicted under the Sedition Act since 2014, just for expressing their views?

Voicing opinions should be done in the proper manner? I have been arrested, harassed, my office raided, and I face various types of harassment from the authorities just because I was expressing my views through creative means! Are drawing cartoons and publishing books not proper?

SALLEH: It is not wrong to have differences in opinion, or to disagree with the government, but why involve other countries?

ZUNAR As one of the recipients of '2016 Cartooning for Peace' award, I was invited by the 'Cartooning for Peace Foundation' and the mayor of Geneva to exhibit 10 of my artworks in Switzerland starting from May 3.

The giant-size artworks are now on display at the lake Lac Leman until early June. Among the visitors were ex-UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, famous French cartoonist Jean Plantureux Plantu and the mayor Guillaume Barazzone.

As minister of communications, Salleh (photo) should know that we are now living in a borderless world. Issues have become universal. For your knowledge, I was also invited to speak at the UN about freedom of expression during the trip because for them, it is a global issue.

The world has become smaller now. That is why the media, like The Wall Street Journal can report on what is happening in Malaysia. That is why, the prime minister can sue them from Malaysia too, except that he is still waiting for Tuesday to arrive.

A very funny minister

Have you seen my exhibition in Geneva, Salleh? If you haven't then let me tell you that the issues presented are about corruption, freedom of expression, conspiracy against (jailed former opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and the National Security Council.

Which one of the cartoons is not right? If you are still not clear about my cartoons, you can come to my new book launch 'Wasabi' (Wa Sapu Billion) this Saturday, May 14 and buy one. No, you cannot buy it at bookstores, because your "democratic" government has banned it.

SALLEH (Zunar's exhibition) is an insult to a leader whom the people voted for.

ZUNAR When I was in Geneva, people were already aware about corruption in Malaysia because it was widely published in the major international media. The most popular question was: "How come they said RM 2.6 billion is a donation?"

The PM and the whole of the Malaysian cabinet are the ones who keep insulting themselves and are an embarrassment to the country. Not me. I would like to reiterate it is the duty of a cartoonist to expose corruption and I will keep drawing until the last drop of my ink!

SALLEH: Besides giving a negative image of Malaysia to other countries, such actions (Zunar's exhibition) were seen as sabotaging the national economy and affecting the confidence of investors in Malaysia.

ZUNAR More than RM42 billion of people's money had been lost in the 1MDB scandal, yet you blame cartoonist for the economic problem? You are a very funny minister, Salleh!