Nazri Did the RIGHT Thing: He Defended Rapper NAMEWEE Against Racist Attacks

NAMEWEE Meets Nazri for Film Production

Read here for more in malaysiakini article by S Pathmawathy

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Rapper Wee Meng Chee, popularly known as NAMEWEE today held a short meeting with de facto Law Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz over difficulties in obtaining government grants for his movie.

Wee met Nazri today at Parliament to inform him about the new film, titled Nasi Lemak 2.0, and his futile eight-month effort to secure government grants.

He had previously claimed that the government's requirement for much of the script to be in Bahasa Malaysia to qualify for grants as discriminatory and not in line with the 1Malaysia spirit.

Wee had also produced a video, taken off his blog since, showcasing a three-minute rap song, with profanities cast against incidents of racism in Malaysia.The video was specifically targeted at the heads of a school in Kedah and another in Johor, both of whom had allegedly uttered racial slurs against non-Malay students.

During the 10-minute meeting, Wee expressed his wish to personally inform Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak about the predicament faced by him and other film makers.

At a press conference later, Nazri said that he would raise the matter with the premier during Friday's cabinet meeting.

Nazri also defended Wee, whose numerous music videos have irked conservative Muslims, especially the Malay rights pressure group Perkasa.

The minister said Wee was merely trying to address the grouses of the younger generation and was NOT being racist.

Nazri said,

"I met this young man today and nothing of what he has done is against the law. I think the Malay mainstream media, bloggers and the community has misunderstood him. I hope they will give him a chance.

He is young. If he does something wrong, don't just jump the gun and come to your own conclusions from what other people say.

I have to save this young man because... the Malay community is very upset over a statement I made in Parliament that action will be taken against the two principals and they argued why no action is not taken against Namewee. Only the principals and the aggrieved parties that Namewee had offended could take any action against him.

But I think Namewee has been grossly misunderstood and misrepresented by some of the media... and I think the principals also want to prevent this issue from blowing out of proportion.

This young man is typical of his age. I don't look at him as a racist, I don't think he's even a politician, so we shouldn't be dragging him into something which, in the first place, he doesn't want to get involved in," said Nazri, adding that Wee had been "gravely misunderstood".

He is only interested in music and how it can give messages to his peers.

We know that he has over 70,000 fans, and he has given me his explanation of what he has done (to rectify his mistakes).

I think he has potential, we can help, and he will be able to become an artiste one day," he added.

Wee did not intend to create enemies. He told me he was nervous about coming here, but I told him he had done nothing wrong, that he didn't have to worry."

Looking quite relieved after the meeting, Wee insisted that he is a "patriotic Malaysian" and complained that mainstream media "always chooses" to highlight his controversial videos and "made me into someone that I am not, like a hantu (ghost)".

Wee told reporters:

" I admit that some of my videos are controversial, especially when dealing with social issues, but I honestly have no intention of hurting anyone.

And if I ever had offended some of you, please accept my apologies.

I hope that in future you will give me a chance (and) go check out my other videos to get to know the real Namewee.

Or, alternatively, please choose not to watch my videos again."