Publisher apologises over 'coat of arms' image on book cover
The publisher of a book in the middle of a controversy today apologised for the cover that featured an image resembling the Jata Negara.
Director and founder of Gerakbudaya publishing company, Chong Ton Sin (above), told Malaysiakini this morning that there was no intention to insult the national coat of arms...The publisher of a book in the middle of a controversy today apologised for the cover that featured an image resembling the Jata Negara.
Director and founder of Gerakbudaya publishing company, Chong Ton Sin, told Malaysiakini this morning that there was no intention to insult the national coat of arms.
"We did not have any intention to insult anyone with the book cover, or any ill intention for using the image.
"Secondly, regardless of this being unintentional, I nevertheless would like to apologise to anyone who gets offended by the cover.
"We were being insensitive, and we will take this as a lesson and will be more sensitive in the future," Chong said when contacted by Malaysiakini.
The book, titled 'Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance, And Hope In New Malaysia' came under scrutiny over the past few days due to the use of an image on the cover which had been alleged by several quarters to be insulting to the national coat of arms.
This had then led to groups lodging police reports on the book, urging authorities to investigate and take action against those behind it for allegedly insulting the coat of arms.
Yesterday, Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin said that the ministry has ordered the police to investigate the matter.
Chong (above), who is also widely known as Pak Chong, said the image was from a painting that had been exhibited in the country several years ago, and its usage on the book cover was arranged between the painter and the book editor.
However, he was not sure whether it was the book editor who contacted the artist, or vice-versa, to get the painting on the cover.
"The book cover is a painting that was produced several years ago and was displayed at an exhibition in Sarawak. And the painting was said to have been sold.
"I have had a look (on the cover) and had my concerns then (before publication). But I did not say anything, and left it to them to decide," he said.
Chong said the police visited his office in Petaling Jaya yesterday afternoon to see him, but he was away at that time.
He believes that the police would come again today, and he was ready to give his cooperation.
Malaysiakini has attempted to get comments from the editor, Kean Wong, but he declined to comment.
Meanwhile, according to graphic designer Fahmi Reza, the image used on the book cover was an oil painting that had been exhibited publicly six years ago.
He pointed out that the exhibition took place when the country was under the Barisan Nasional administration.
"To those who didn't know, the artwork that was used as the cover design on a book that allegedly disrespected the coat of arms was actually an old oil painting.
"It used to be displayed in a public art exhibition at a gallery in Kuala Lumpur during BN's time in 2014," he said on Twitter.
Fahmi also attached to his Twitter post several photographs of oil paintings including the one on the book cover, being displayed at the exhibition.
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