The editor of political satire magazine Gedung Kartun has denied that the magazine is being published without a valid licence, as claimed by a Home Ministry official.

Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, said a permit has been approved but was not issued on the agreed date of Aug 14.

However, Zulkiflee managed to obtain the permit number - PP8541/08/2010(0282145) ISSN 1688-5398 - the same day.

NONE “I refute any allegation that Gedung Kartun is being published with a false permit. The Home Ministry has made a serious accusation that implies that I made up the permit number,”he said in a statement today.

“I am bemused as to why the publication permit for Gedung Kartun has yet to be issued and why a raid was conducted instead. Now they want to charge me in court.

“Isn’t it better for them to issue the permit as they (said they would), and solve all matters?”

According to Bernama on Saturday, the Home Ministry intends to charge publisher Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd under Section 5 (2) (b) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for publishing the magazine without a permit.

Ministry corporate communications head Jamilah Taib was quoted as saying that this was the reason why the publisher’s office was raided on Aug 25.

A total of 408 copies of the magazine and 18 printing plates were confiscated during the raid.

Cartoonists under threat

Meanwhile, Zulkiflee said will seek a meeting with Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein soon to obtain an explanation on the matter.

He said the annual publishing permit can only be signed by the minister.

NONE “I will also like to question the increasing difficulty in obtaining the permit. What then is meant by the prime minister that the media will be freer under his administration?

“Is it that under 1Malaysia, works of art and the voices of cartoonists will be under a tighter grip? If drawing cartoons results in three years’ imprisonment, imagine the state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia.”

Marketed as a bi-weekly 'alternative comic magazine', the inaugural issue broached many current affairs, such as the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock and the Port Klang Free Zone scandal.

The cover lampooned Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak holding a Mongolian flag while crying ‘Merdeka’. His wife Rosmah Mansor was also featured in several cartoons.