Oh, My Country (with 2nd update!)

Namewee

Namewee, a young Malaysian music student-turned-momentary-rapper, has gotten over 700 thousand viewers and a cult following on YouTube for his (patriotic?) views of Malaysia. According to a Malaysiakini report, tomorrow (23 September, also the date that Anwar Ibrahim had asked Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to call for an Emergency Parliamentary session), Mr Wee Meng Chee and his father Mr Wee Ang Hee will make their way from their home in Muar, Johor, to the police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.

Even though Wee had apologised for the views he had forwarded through his song, Negarakuku (literally means ‘My Crazy Country’ – not apt, if you think about what has happened post-March 8), some parties may still want blood drawn. Is this a fair thing to ask for, since the matter is over a year old? If he is taken into account, should we not equally ask for accounting of many other violations perpetrated by persons of various political persuasions? (Um… No?)

In any case, Wee’s situation will be viewed with tremendous interest by all Malaysians. Will he be treated like kickdefella? Or will the authorities contextualise their efforts in terms of what the country has gone through recently, especially with Ahmad Ismail’s incendiary (and unapologetic) comments during the recent Permatang Pauh by-election?

Which road will Malaysians take?

UPDATE: I got this from kickdefella – “I knew since the day I was arrested, police will on Tuesday arrest another Malaysian whom the Government claimed had insulted the SONG and today I knew they are looking for another Malaysian blogger whom still flying the flag up-side down. I too knew those two person is just a victim of Abdullah’s political survivor. I pray for them to be strong. This is just the beginning for us, but rest assure that it is the end for Abdullah!”

Be strong, chaps!

UPDATE (23 Sept 08): Wee was grilled at the police HQ for about half a day, but nothing more was made of it. For now, at least, we can breathe a sigh of relief. Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, on the other hand, was on the receiving end of the stick – he has been transfered to Kamunting under Section 8(1) of the Internal Security Act for a period of two (2) years, which can be renewed indefinitely. His lawyers had just filed a habeas corpus application, which requires the detainee be brought before a court of law and can challenge the government’s decision to continue detaining them… tak aci? More on this later.