Malaysian student in trouble for YouTube rap - AFPMalaysian student in trouble for YouTube rap - Sci-Tech - Middle East Times
August 8, 2007
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian authorities are investigating the YouTube video of a student rapping to the national anthem using allegedly seditious lyrics, the Straits Times reported Wednesday, citing officials.
Nearly half-a-million people have already watched the six-minute video by Namewee, a 24-year-old Malaysian student at Taiwan's Ming Chuan University, a log on the popular video sharing site showed.
In the intro to the video, which shows a Malaysian flag in the background, Namewee dedicates the song to "all Malaysians, specially the government."
According to the paper, the song - in a mixture of Mandarin and Bahasa - contained lyrics which "touched on racially-sensitive issues by sarcastically singing the morning call to prayer for Muslims."
A partial translation of the lyrics circulating in the Internet says they also portray Malaysian police as corrupt extortionists.
Deputy internal security minister Johari Baharum said police would look at the video clip to determine whether the student violated the country's strict sedition laws.
"If he has, we will act against him under the Sedition Act," Johari said.
Originally enacted by British colonial authorities, sedition is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of 5,000 ringgit ($1,400).
Rights groups and press freedom activists have previously accused Malaysian authorities of applying the law to stifle political critics.
Liow Tiong, the deputy youth and sports minister, said that while Namawee may have only tried to express his nationalism, he had inadvertently insulted the national anthem.
"He seems patriotic but needs guidance to show his patriotism in the proper way," he said, adding he should not have disparaged national symbols.
At the end of the video clip, Namewee says in Bahasa: "Don't sue me. I don't have money."
CD versions of the song are reportedly being sold secretly in Kuala Lumpur bazaars or night markets.
I LOVE MALAYSIA
>> click to download the song (.mp3) 5.20MB
>> click to download the song (.aac) 3.05MB
>> click to download negarakuku_low.3gp 4.88MB
>> click to download negarakuku_high.3gp 9.20MB
Get involved in supporting namewee. Simply save this song in your mobile phone and spread the news to those Ah Pek in coffee house, your mom in the kitchen, your father in the office, your girlfriend on her bed, your neighbor you don't know who is it all the while, anyone you meet. To Chinese, discuss with your Malay & Tamil friends; to Malays who support, help your friends to understand namewee.
WHY you need to place this song in your mobile phone? I think you know the answer very well, because Malaysia's broadband internet penetration rate now is only 1-7.6%! Which means there are still loooooooots of Malaysian out there haven't heard of this song before, so get involved NOW! You know what you can do with your Bluetooth now ;)
p/s: The songs & videos are properties of namewee 黃明志.
p/p/s: To students, TURN OFF YOUR MOBILE when in class ;)
Updated 17-08-2007
Negarakuku video clips for mobile phone (.3gp) open for download! Both low & high resolution versions are uploaded, download the low resolution version if you are using a dailup (tmnet 1515 etc.) service for faster download. The quality is ok, so dont worry you won't see namewee's close-up :) Enjoy! (And also, keep in mind that these videos are also namewee's properties)
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Malaysian student in trouble for YouTube rap
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