Namewee, A Chinese Malaysian Under Fire

10 Aug 2007

The Malaysian student in Taiwan who used Negaraku in a Mandarin rap video clip may be in trouble. Police are considering action under the Sedition Act against the 24-year-old man, who goes by the name of “Namewee”.

He was reported to have touched on racially-sensitive issues by sarcastically singing the morning call to prayer for Muslims. He was said to have given the impression that the police force was corrupt and civil servants were slow in serving the people.

The video clip showed Namewee singing in a room with a Malaysian flag as the backdrop.

In case you havent read the news yet, a Malaysian Chinese named Namewee currently studying in Taiwan is under fire for releasing a remixed version of the Malaysian national anthem.

The Malaysian authorities are even contemplating stripping him of his citizenship but have been stopped short of extraditing him from Taiwan back to Malaysia as he has not actually committed any crimes. Namewee has apologized, citing that it’s just satire.

My view:

Namewee’s video contains too much of the unspoken truth that Malaysians know and think but would never say aloud.
The Malaysian government can’t handle the truth.
By placing the spotlight on Namewee, the Malaysian government has effectively guranteed that EVERYBODY who can read will watch the video.
The video highlights that Malaysian institutions of higher learning do not welcome the Malaysian Chinese (true) forcing them to study overseas despite whatever fantasies the Malaysian Government spins.
The video highlights the problem of corruption beingly deeply ingrained as part of the Malaysian Police Force. It’s true.

link to video with English subtitles

17 Responses to Namewee, A Chinese Malaysian Under Fire

Mandrake

August 10th, 2007 at 10:34 am

If I say the malaysia govt is dumb, would they extradite me?

Stupid of them to blow it up so big, maybe uses some explosive..

Cowboy Caleb

August 10th, 2007 at 10:46 am

The theory is that anybody with brains will know that they should not work with the gahmen… that’s why the country is the way it is. LOL.

koolgeek

August 10th, 2007 at 1:10 pm

The gahmen seems to be taking all the baits in the cyberspace.

more to come

visceral

August 10th, 2007 at 3:27 pm

opt to be a mobile worker with a passport but no emotional attachments to nation or state

unknown

August 12th, 2007 at 1:19 pm

just my own 2 cents. it is right that most of the stuff he sung would be the truth. but he shouldn’t use the national song to convey his thinking. that would just let the authorities to get hold of him. don’t you think so?

naeboo

August 13th, 2007 at 1:26 pm

how would it “be letting the authorities get hold of him” if all he did was to put a few lines of the national anthem in a rap song? it’s only disrespectful if he changed the lyrics and sung it in the same melody.

constructively criticizing the government is not and shld not be seen as being unpatriotic. being apathetic is. being scared of the government and only listen to everything that ignorant,shortsighted politicians have to say is.

politicians are chosen by the people to serve the people. not the other way round. let them remember that.

Global Voices Online » Malaysia: Malaysian Youtube Rapper

August 20th, 2007 at 4:44 pm

[...] comments on a rap video that a Malaysian student in Taiwan uploaded on youtube. The video has the Malaysian national flag [...]

jeff

September 14th, 2007 at 8:41 am

Honest opinion and freedom of expression do not seem to be able to survive in Malaysia, our young Malaysian get to learn his lesson in this “bolehland” the hard way.
Welcome to Malaysia and happy merdeka.

jeffrey

September 14th, 2007 at 1:50 pm

Corrupt U*noputra and monkey M CA politicians are trying to create a scene out of a poor student to divert Malaysians attention from some bigger problems facing this country, recent corruption like PKFZ and Youth ministry contract finance case most probably are the reasons behind all these farces and continue witch hunt come out of some of these honorable ministers.

Anonymous

October 20th, 2007 at 4:17 pm

wa.. such this blog do exis maa.. to writer, ur views didn’t seem quite true.. ahh.. before that, r u malaysian? since u r the 1 who hv ur very pnt of views.. or namewee is ur friend or u r the 1 who being such a ****.the point about Malaysian institutions of higher learning do not welcome the Malaysian Chinese n forcing them to study overseas. wat the hell of this stat. abt?! i myself do study in IPTA,or public institute of higher learning(4 u all singaporean who doesn’t know)n lots lots of chinese here(or we can say the major in ere). so do the other IPTA.wat do u singaporean know?!
i am fully agree with gov. to strip the citizenship of him.. a person who doesn’t respect his/her country did’nt belong to be the citezen of tat cntry..
all of u singaporen, pull this shit off..
-peace malaysia-

Malaysianpeople

November 5th, 2007 at 2:36 pm

I call myself Malaysian when Malaysia treat me as one.

mistermister

December 14th, 2007 at 8:51 pm

First one has to think oneself as man before being treated like a man. If you think you are a cow, then,Malaysia will treat you the same way.

Steve

December 18th, 2007 at 2:29 pm

I will not have the gut or (honesty) to sing it out as namewee,as i am too smart to know that our “goatment” will persecute and crucify me as their sacrificial lamb to get votes from Malay folks.

Cowboy Caleb

Namewee, A Chinese Malaysian Under Fire

17 Responses to Namewee, A Chinese Malaysian Under Fire

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