KUALA LUMPUR – Controversial cartoonist Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Alhaque, said a hacker has attempted to access the server of a website that hosts political cartoons from across the region.
The civil rights activist said the website, craftora.com – currently featuring the Asean Human Rights Cartoon Exhibition – faced attacks from the hacker for two hours.
The attack took place while live forum “Cartoonist – Enemy of the State” was in progress. The forum featured Zunar, and cartoonists Guz Wid from Indonesia and Joshua Cabrera from the Philippines.
It also featured academician Prof Muliyadi Mahamood and human rights activist Nalini Elumalai.
The exhibition, themed “Human Rights in My Country”, showcases 100 works by 37 Asean artists. Of the 37, 13 are Malaysians, including Zunar.
The month-long digital exhibition is being held in partnership with The Vibes.
“The exhibition is until May 29, and can be accessed via craftora.com,” said Zunar, who is the event’s programme director.
Among the issues highlighted in the main gallery are the state of emergency in Malaysia, royal defamation law in Thailand, murderous war on drugs in the Philippines, and coup in Myanmar and Papua in Indonesia.
Participating cartoonists also joined forces to show support for the people of Myanmar in defending democracy against the coup by the military regime via the “Myanmar Solidarity Gallery”.
During the launch of the exhibition on May 3, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim; The Wahid Institute director Yenny Wahid, who is also the daughter of former Indonesian president Gus Dur; and, Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson, among others, were featured as panel speakers.
Just yesterday, Zunar revealed that his phone had been seized by police when he was questioned on a cartoon he made lampooning the Kedah menteri besar for axing Thaipusam as a state holiday.
Entrance to the online exhibition is free, and visitors will be able to visit the gallery and attend the launch event online via craftora.com. – The Vibes, May 8, 2021
