Rowdy group storms Zunar's cartoon exhibition

GEORGE TOWN: A cartoon exhibition organised by political cartoonist Zunar was disrupted by a group of about 50 people this afternoon.

The group was led by Penang Umno Youth chief Rafizal Abdul Rahim and Gabungan Perwakilan Melayu Pulau Pinang chair Rizuad Mohd Azudin.

They had deemed the cartoons as insulting to Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during the 3pm incident.

The group confronted Zunar, whose real name is Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque, and demanded he remove the cartoons.

Police were called in, including the light strike force (LSF), to contain the situation at the concourse area of Komtar here where the 20 drawings were displayed to the public.

Azura Aziz, Zunar's manager, said two drawings were damaged during the incident.

"They told him to remove his books and threatened to burn them," she said, adding a police report would be lodged soon.

The exhibition has since been closed while his other functions in Penang, including the launch of a book on Sunday, is pending discussions following the confrontation.

Later after lodging a police report at the Jalan Patani police station, Rafizal warned the political cartoonist to close his cartoon exhibition.

He said the cartoons were "biadap" (rude) and had insulted and defamed Najib.

Rafizal said the wing will be monitoring the exhibition area at the concourse area to ensure the cartoons were not put up again.

"If he puts them up again we will not hesitate to return and ask him to remove them nicely or through force," he told reporters.