Controversial Malaysian YouTube rapper Namewee can’t catch a break!
Namewee (real name Wee Meng Chee) took to his Facebook page on Saturday (17th October) to share that he was made to sign a declaration prior to entering Hong Kong.
In simple terms, Namewee has promised in black and white that he will not make any comments or say anything about the Malaysian government or Chinese government, presumably in song or speech during his Hong Kong concert.
He wrote in his post’s caption:
HAHA! THX DEMOCRACY! 只不過去香港辦一場演唱會而已，有必要。。。
Translaton: HAHA! THX DEMOCRACY! Just going to Hong Kong for a concert, was it necessary?
According to a report by HKFP, Henry Lau, the concert organiser and a manager for the Hong Kong branch of Namewee’s Singaporean management company, EQ Music & Media (HK), confirmed that it was the company who asked Namewee to sign it.
It was largely due to the fact that Namewee was “involved in a court case in Malaysia” and the company was “worried about the application for his working visa”, thus asking Namewee to sign it to avoid any involvement in politics.
A copy of the declaration was also submitted to the Hong Kong Immigration Department by Lau, although the department said it would not ask applicants for this kind of declaration.
And how is Namewee taking this gag order? He was quoted as saying:
I don’t know what were they worried about. The music and movies I do in Malaysia are all promoting peace and love.
Namewee was sentenced to 3 months of community service in December 2014 for insulting staff of Tenaga Nasional Berhad in 2009.
The Malaysian prosecution has since applied for an appeal to increase the sentence.
Sources: Namewee’s Facebook page, HKFP.
