Political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque is set to release a new book entitled 'King of Donation'.

Zunar, as he is popularly known, revealed this at a press conference today organised by Human Rights Watch, which announced the cartoonist was also the latest recipient of the Hellman-Hammett award.

Expressing his gratitude for the award, Zunar said this would help him especially with his upcoming book.

"I'm now working on my new book, titled 'King of Donation' which will be released in the middle of September.

"This grant will definitely help," he said.

Zunar's decision to come up with the title drew laughter from the press corps present at the event today. Also in attendance was Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson

The irony was not lost on them as the MACC had recently announced that the RM2.6 billion deposited into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal accounts was a form of a donation.

Some of Zunar's works - which largely satirise Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor - have been banned by the government while the cartoonist himself faces a possible 43 years in prison on multiple sedition charges for raising questions about judicial independence in a series of tweets about former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's trial.

It's a grant, not a donation

Meanwhile, Zunar said the grant should not be confused with donations.

"(As for) the donation the prime minister received, because he is holding public office, he is accountable to the public. This is just an assistance from an artist foundation to an artist.

"I don't want to disclose the amount, it is too small compared to the RM2.6 billion, it's very petty cash," he joked.

Robertson, said Zunar was joining the ranks of over 800 writers and activists, who have received the award since it was established in 1989.  

"This award comes at a time when freedom of expression and freedom of the press is under continuous attack in Malaysia in a way that we have not seen in more than a generation," he said.

The Hellman-Hammett award is named after American playwright Lillian Hellman. Hellman and her long-time partner Dashiell Hammett established the award to provide moral support and financial assistance to writers in financial need who had been victims of political persecution for their writings.  

Declaring Zunar as one of the "brave writers and artists" who faces over 40 years in prison simply for expressing his opinion, Robertson said the Human Rights Watch was proud to give him the award to support him as he exercises his right to freedom of expression.

'I won't seek asylum'

Despite the political nature of the nine charges, Zunar said he would not be seeking asylum.

"After I was detained, my colleagues abroad from the United States and Europe suggested that I request for asylum.

"But I'm staying. If I do that (seek asylum), I would only be thinking about myself.

"But how about Malaysia? I want to change Malaysia," he said.

Zunar also believes the series of tweets he made which had landed him the charges will be a weapon used for his benefit during the trial; to create awaraness among Malaysians as well as to show "how bad the government is".

"So many things will come out during the trial, the government will say funny things to prove that I am guilty.

"I want to expose them; (I want to show that) this is the type of government that we have now," he said.

Zunar said he has also discussed with his legal team to register for an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

"I want to write to them and say that this is a record. I don't know whether it's a world record, but (I know it can) at least (enter the) Malaysian Book of Records.

"I want to register so that the future generation understand that this is how the government abuses the Sedition Act," he said.