In regard to the ban on political caricatures in the next General Election (GE) as announced by Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan, Gerakan Vice President Dato’ Mah Siew Keong is disappointed with the announcement as he is disagree with the decision to ban political caricatures in the upcoming GE13.

Dato’ Mah opines that EC has no ground to impose the ban on political caricatures in the next GE as it is essentially unwarranted. Gerakan is against the unjustifiable ban as it will deal a blow to the freedom of expression, flourish of ideas as well as creativity in arts that could act as mitigation to the rising political temperature or excessive politicking in the country.

The use of political caricatures which is deemed “insinuated, disparaged individuals or personalities, inappropriate and could portray a lack of seriousness in running for elections” as described by Wan Ahmad, it is hugely a personal point of view from the EC deputy chairman that is not shared by most of the people in the society.

“There are many ways to reproach, discredit or defame a politician other than the use of political caricatures, in fact it is common for such an unethical act being used in political seminars with profanities, personal attacks and rhetorical speeches to arouse emotional resonance and raising political support, but does it means that we will have to ban political seminars completely for GE13? Which sounds unwise to me as well,” said Dato’ Mah.

Gerakan holds that the EC should address the wrongful and demeaning contents or messages conveyed in all sorts of mediums by some irresponsible politicians during the political campaign, rather than just prohibiting the use of political caricatures. The EC then should hold them responsible for the negative remarks they have made which is more pivotal to stop political smear in GE.