Rapper behind the hit ‘Learn Cantonese’ asked by management to sign a contract declaring he “...will not make any comments or say anything about the Malaysian Government or Chinese Government...”
PUBLISHED : Monday, 19 October, 2015, 10:23am
UPDATED : Monday, 19 October, 2015, 5:44pm
Malaysian rapper NameWee Photo: Youtube
Malaysian singer and songwriter Wee Meng Chee, popularly known as Namewee, has been asked to sign a declaration stating he will not say anything political in his Hong Kong concert tomorrow night.
Wee posted a photo on his Facebook page over the weekend which shows a signed declaration notice, promising that he “will not make any comments or say anything about the Malaysian Government or Chinese Government” during his visit to the city from October 19 to 22.
“It’s just one concert in Hong Kong, is it necessary…”, the 32-year-old singer questioned on his page, which has 1.4million followers. He then commented that “it is the Hong Kong side which had me sign [the declaration]”.
Wee’s manager, Henry Lau Tao-hung, concert and events manager of EQ Music, told the South China Morning Post he had not expected Wee would post the declaration on Facebook.
“I hope this won’t create misunderstanding,” said Lau. “We are not suppressing [Wee’s] freedom of speech, but we are cooperating with many units in Hong Kong and everyone feels sensitive and nervous [about his vocalness]”.
Lau stressed that all organising units are from Hong Kong and no government is involved.
When asked whether he fears such an act will politicise tomorrow night’s concert, Lau said he is a Taiwanese in Australia and not familiar with the political situation in Hong Kong.
Wee is known to write songs as satirical commentaries on socio-political issues .
He rose to fame in 2007 when he recorded “Negarakuku”, a rap bearing the tune of the Malaysian national anthem which has anti-government undertones. Due to the song, Wee was threatened by the Malaysian government to be brought to court under the Sedition Act.
The Malaysian government was not able to prosecute him as he had recorded and uploaded the song to Youtube while studying in Taiwan; despite the video being taken down it was reposted, garnering millions of hits.
In late 2007 the Malaysian Government issued a gag order banning all reporting of him in the nation’s media.
Since then he has worked on a public service video encouraging Malysians to vote, co-starred in the Hong Kong made action movie Petaling Warriors and his own internet television show.
In 2013 he recorded the song Learn Cantonese, a humorous take on his love of Hong Kong films and his desire to learn the language spoken by Andy Lau, Chow Yun Fat and their huge popularity in Malaysia.
Wee’s concert, called Namewee Asia Killer Live In Hong Kong 2015, will be held in Kowloon Bay E-Max tomorrow night at 8pm.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1869376/malaysian-rapper-namewee-forced-sign-contract-not
