KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Pro-BN (Sabah) wants the Swiss Foundation Cartooning to withdraw the ‘2016 Cartooning For Peace Award’ that was awarded to Malaysian cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, for the latter’s controversial drawing that insulted and humiliated the Malaysian government.

According to its president, Zulkarnain Mahdarhas, the Swiss Foundation Cartooning did not get the correct information about the political situation in Malaysia.

“Zunar claimed that the freedom of expression in Malaysia is being restricted but Malaysia is the most free country that practises freedom of speech and expression for the people, either cartoonists or journalists, since Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s era and now Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,” he said yesterday.

Zulkarnain added that freedom of expression did not mean that a person can insult or embarrass others or the government.

“What Zunar is doing is outrageous when the reality is that Malaysia is a peaceful country that tolerates and gives freedom to its people.

“Therefore we urge the foundation to withdraw the award that was presented to Zunar or Pro-BN will hold a peaceful demonstration in front of their office,” he said after lodging a police report at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing on Sunday.