ADUN SPEAKS | PN should not be oversensitive towards art

ADUN SPEAKS | Recently, Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dasuki urged the government in his Facebook posting to take action and ban the book Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance, and Hope in New Malaysia, as the book cover featured an image that resembles the Jata Negara and therefore has allegedly insulted the national coat of arms.

Youth wings from Umno, MCA, MIC and PAS soon followed suit to file police reports on the matter. Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin later ordered the police to carry out an investigation and take stern action immediately.

The police confirmed that the case was being investigated under Section 5 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) (Amendment) Act 2016, Section 4 (1) of the Sedition Act 1948, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Section 8 (1) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984.

I would like to urge the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government to not overreact to art forms that are not aligned to its views. It should not be oversensitive towards art but should refrain from abusing state apparatus to suppress creativity and freedom of expression.

Art helps to cultivate our mind, character and humanistic qualities and it is often interrelated and complementary. In a society that respects art and creative works, people have the opportunity to think and rethink various aspects through art appreciation as they are exposed to different perspectives and interpretations.

Therefore, art appreciation helps develop the ability to engage in critical thinking and thus, a society that values art tends to have better and more comprehensive humanistic qualities.

The youth wings of BN and PAS should not resort to manipulating public sentiments for political gains through politicising art. Such action reflects their ignorance, senselessness and disrespect for freedom of expression and artistic freedom.

The politicisation and denouncement of art by these youth wings, unfortunately, perpetuates suppression of artistic freedom and freedom of speech that has been happening since decades ago, under the previous BN regime, and thus has prevented art in the country to gradually move towards mature development.

Apart from that, a country that values democracy and freedom should respect the innovative spirit of artists by encouraging and supporting them to unleash their talents in order to produce outstanding, thought-provoking and epoch-making works of art.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said last month that the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) has been tasked to support local films to compete and win in the much-coveted Academy Awards (Oscars) in 20 to 30 years from now. 

When even a small piece of artwork has been deemed intolerable by the PN government, how can ordinary citizens and local artists, in particular, expect unconditional support from the government to guarantee artistic freedom?

The “Project Oscar” plan, in which the PN government intends to produce works of art that could earn international acclaim, therefore, appears to be an illusionary scheme after all.

The PN government is absolutely wrong for suppressing art and freedom of expression, and it should stop creating fear that will deter the people, as well as artists, from freely expressing their thoughts.

The government's action might be effective in achieving its political objective of silencing dissent, but the generational effort of developing art and cultivating humanistic qualities in Malaysia will eventually be undermined.

CHIONG YOKE KONG is the Tanah Rata state assemblyperson.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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