NameWee comes under fire for video clip

Malaysian student Wee Meng Chee has frequently courted controversy with his numerous postings on video search engine YouTube, but his latest parody of the national anthem has been severely criticised by politicians.

Wee has come under fire for mocking the national anthem and making statements many found offensive because they contained racial slurs.

His six-minute video clip, which used Negaraku in a Mandarin rap, has been viewed more than 400,000 times since the middle of last month.

Wee, a 24-year-old mass communications student at Ming Chuan University in Taiwan, has insisted that he is patriotic.

“I wrote the song in conjunction with the country’s 50th anniversary of independence and it is my gift to the country,” the Johorean said.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said police would investigate the rap video while MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said Wee had insulted the national anthem.

Liow said that Wee, who used the name “Namewee,” seemed patriotic but needed guidance to show his patriotism in the proper way.

Wee said he did not mean to be seditious or to attack the Government.

“I’m simply reflecting the truth about our society through my music and I did not mean to offend anyone by producing such a video clip. I still love my country,” he said.

On his blog, Wee said he had removed the video from the website after receiving some negative reaction.

“I had to do it because my family was being pressured and I can’t be selfish by just thinking about myself,” he added.

However, he said the video was well received by some people who later uploaded it again on the website for public viewing.

His father, in an interview with Sin Chew Daily, defended his son's patriotism as the student had insisted on taking along the Jalur Gemilang when he left for Taiwan to study.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, Bernama reported that the police had no authority to investigate or detain individuals involved in broadcasting Wee's Negaraku as it happened outside the country.

“The police can only take action if the incident occurs in the country,” Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz told reporters yesterday.

Previous post about NameWee:
被抓之歌 (namewee 明志) NameWee's new song, to express his feeling after the song Negarakuku being criticized by 'somebody' in Malaysia

Negarakuku (Visit Malaysia Year 2007) - Another new song from Muar's boy

Source: TheStar.com