THE overwhelming response to a crowdfunding campaign to pay a court fine for creating and posting a clown caricature of Prime Minister Najib Razak shows the growing resilience of the people, said graphic artist Fahmi Reza. 

The activist, who was found guilty and slapped with a RM30,000 fine, said people are standing up for freedom of speech and expression and are not afraid of practising their basic democratic rights.

“Over 300 people have purchased the clown merchandise in less than 24 hours. That shows people refuse to be silenced, censored and will not cower to state intimidation. 

“The crowdfunding campaign was not a donation drive. Our response was to defy and challenge government censorship on political dissent and we chose to do it by using and spreading the censored image,” he said in a reply to The Malaysian Insight. 

Yesterday, Fahmi managed to raise more than RM30,000, more than the amount needed to pay the fine. 

Fahmi was charged in June 2016 at the Ipoh Sessions Court under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, or a jail term not exceeding one year, or both.

He was accused of sending “false communications” via Facebook in February 2016, by posting the clown caricature of the prime minister.

On Tuesday, he was sentenced to a month’s jail and fined RM30,000. Fahmi faces a similar charge at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

As at press time, the figure reached RM33,766 through crowdfunding site Pozible.com.

Fahmi also said another RM13,819 was credited into his bank account. Apart from donations, the money also came from the sale of T-shirts, lapel pins, stickers and exercise books bearing the clown caricature of Najib he created and for which he was charged.

“As this campaign is an act of collective defiance, everyone should be able to monitor the progress. Using a crowdfunding platform allows us to do just that and it’s also a way to keep this campaign transparent,” he said, adding all proceeds would go into a dedicated “Penghasut” bank account to cover court expenses and fines.

“But should the Ipoh guilty verdict be overturned, the funds will be reserved for the ongoing Kuala Lumpur case where I face a similar criminal charge for another clown caricature of Najib I posted on Instagram,” he said. 

If he is acquitted of both charges, the remaining funds will be used to support others charged under the same law for political satire or dissent, those who cannot afford to pay for bail or fine, he said. 

“Financial records will be made public.

“While we do need to raise funds to pay the fine, we want the funds to also be used to create and spread the clown even more.” – February 24, 2018.