Fahmi Reza. Image supplied.
Fahmi Reza: The original clown-faced Najib Razak artwork was my reaction to two issues. First, to the news that the Malaysian Attorney-General cleared Najib of any corruption relating to the long-running financial scandal, absolving Najib from all wrongdoing. The level of absurdity that the government used to cover-up the scandal and corruption is astounding.Second, it was a reaction to an Amnesty International report , which states that in 2015 alone there were 91 instances of the Sedition Act being used by the government to arrest, investigate, or charge individuals. In Malaysia, the government is very intolerant of dissent.
Fahmi Reza pasting up his first Najib clown poster. Image supplied.
The original clown-faced Najib artwork was posted on my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts on 31 January 2016. Within three hours after I posted the artwork on Twitter, I received a warning from the police cyber unit, PCIRC, telling me that they've placed my Twitter account under police surveillance and warning me to use it "prudently and according to the law."
In defiance, I immediately wrote a response on Facebook in Malay, which translates to, "In a country that uses laws to protect the corrupt and oppress those brave enough to speak out, it is time that we stop being prudent when fighting against corrupt rulers."How have Malaysians responded to the poster?In 2015, the Sedition Act was used 91 times. Tapi dalam negara yang penuh dengan korupsi, kita semua penghasut. — Fahmi Reza (@kuasasiswa)January 31, 2016
Not only have they responded favourably, but they have also played an active role in creating and disseminating the image. As a show of solidarity, a graphic design collective called GRUPA started flooding Facebook and Twitter with their own pictures of a clown-faced Najib along with the hashtag #KitaSemuaPenghasut, which translates to "We Are All Agitators." They produced close to 100 posters in total.What started out as a single act of defiance, had suddenly turned into a "social media protest movement" led by graphic designers. This is something completely new and out of the ordinary for Malaysia.
Photos Malaysians have posted on social media, wearing Fahmi's shirts. Image supplied.
Within a week after I first pasted the giant sized clown poster in the streets of Kuala Lumpur, others started emulating this act by pasting the same poster in their own towns. To date, the posters have appeared in 20 different cities and towns all over the country. The clown image along with the slogan "Kita Semua Penghasut" have also been printed on protest t-shirts. Currently there are 40 DIY t-shirt printers around the country printing and selling the t-shirts. Within three weeks they've sold a combined total of 2,400 t-shirts. People who have bought the t-shirts are sharing their photos wearing the t-shirt on social media, along with the hashtag #KitaSemuaPenghasut as a way to express their protest and dissent. The clown image has now been transformed into a Malaysian symbol of rebellion against this corrupt and authoritarian government.
A t-shirt with Fahmi's poster emblazoned with the slogan "Kita Semua Penghasut." Image supplied.
If charged and convicted for this offence, I will face up to three years in jail or a fine of RM50,000, or both. Both the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have questioned me and recorded my statement. They did not say anything. My case is still open. The police and the MCMC are still doing their investigation. We'll just have to wait and see their next move. The worse case scenario is that I may be charged and convicted for two "offences" and jailed for five years.
I started listening to punk when I was 15, in high school, during my rebellious teenage years. I taught myself graphic design when I was making all these flyers and posters for punk gigs during my college years. My first ever proper graphic design work was for an American hardcore punk band called From Ashes Rise back in 1998. I designed the artwork for their second 7" EP titled "Life And Death." They gave me a bunch of records as payment.This was not the first time I've received such a warning from the authorities over my work. In the past I have been banned and arrested for my work. In 2004, I designed the posters, placards and banners for a protest against police brutality. I was beaten and trampled on by police officers that arrested me during that protest. One police officer slapped me in the face while I was in handcuffs and threw the banners and posters that I designed right to my face. I spent a few hours in Pudu Jail that day before I was released on bail.
The From Ashes Rise cover that started it all, circa 1998. Image supplied.
I think the ruling elite of this country has always been intolerant of dissent, even before Najib Razak took office. We've had the same political party in power for almost 60 years. So they're always afraid of losing their thrones. But the people have changed.
I'm not sure how it will end. It's evident that the people are no longer afraid and docile. Two days ago a 24-year-old man was arrested, detained and investigated under the Sedition Act for pasting a clown-faced Najib sticker on a police car. Today another man was arrested under the Sedition Act for an article that he wrote online. The spirit of resistance and rebellion is spreading, and the massive crackdown on dissenters could only mean one thing: the Najib administration is on panic mode.For you though it could end with five years in prison. Does that scare you?
I am not afraid. One shouldn't be afraid to stand up to fight oppression because it instills courage in others to stand up alongside you. I will continue to fight against this authoritarian and corrupt regime using my art as my weapon. They can jail a rebel, but they can't jail the rebellion.Follow Maddison on Twitter
Fahmi with the original clown poster. Image supplied.