Boon Piaw was released by police on personal bond at 1.10 am this morning for allegedly violating the Film Censorship Act 2002 for “manufacturing, circulating, distributing, displaying” the “Democracy Tree” DVD without first getting a B certificate from the Film Censorship Board.
Such an offence entails a fine from RM5,000 to RM30,000, three years’ jail or both.
Boon Piaw is to report back to the police on April 13 to find out the next course of police action.
Just imagine the far-reaching repercussions of such a law – which will make a criminal of every IT-savvy citizen in the country!
Ominous signs of increasing repression in Malaysia under Najib.
(9.15.46 am)
Just before 11 pm last night (Sunday), DAP Perak State Assemblyman for Tebing Tinggi, Ong Boon Piaw was arrested at the Chin Woo Hall, Ipoh for the production of a DVD on the internationally-famous “Democracy Tree” – shortly after the launching and the public viewing of the DVD.
He has been taken to the Pekan Baru police station in Ipoh for the police arrest formalities.
Latest example of the increasing intolerance towards fundamental liberties like freedom of speech, thought and expression in Najib’s Malaysia!
#1 by Chong Zhemin on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 2:08 am
Uncle kit,
This is a really bad news. What was the charge on him? Did they use the seditious act?
#2 by sheriff singh on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 3:01 am
Wow!! He’s being charged for pornographtree? Obscene tree?? Maybe the tree lodged a complaint with the Police and AG that it didn’t do it?
Maybe he didn’t apply for a permit to burn CDs?
Maybe he didn’t use UMNO or BN “stars” and “artistes” in the DVD and they were offended?
Or maybe the religious department objected to the release because it might arouse religious sensitivities?
Maybe its an April Fool joke!!!
Tell us more when all is said and done.
But you ain’t seen nothing yet!!!
Look left, look right, before you cross the road from now on. You might be charged for causing an obstruction to passing traffic.
Pssst. Did you hear about the one about Najib promising Mahathir that the government will build that crooked bridge after all in exchange for Mahathir’s support for the new administration?
These are all another “Believe It or not!!”.
#3 by izrafeil on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 4:37 am
my suggestion is to post in on youtube, that way the bill of guarantee will protect its content
#4 by monsterball on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 6:16 am
This is sickening….simply sickening.
Is this the way to win an election?
#5 by cemerlang on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 7:16 am
Where is fairness when the PDRM does not want to arrest the people who vandalised the plaque on democrazy ?
#6 by seanyenglish on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 7:26 am
And what’s the main reason for this?
This is absurd D:
#7 by wanderer on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 8:06 am
Hahaha! Now these filthy scums even scare of a TREE!
What a blooming joke.
There is more reason to be afraid of Altantuya’s ghost…perhaps, the Democracy Tree is the home of Altantuya, a constant reminder for balding Mongolian.
#8 by Bigjoe on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 8:24 am
What]s next? They arrest a National Georgraphy/Discovery Channel documentary maker?
#9 by Bigjoe on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 8:30 am
On national TV they showed a big crowd for BN for Bukit Gantang nomination when the PR crowd numbered 10X thoese of BN. Muhiyiddin called it ‘symphathy vote’ rather than ‘pissed off at BN vote’..
But he has a point. Nizar has a huge following now. PR need to make him a star for the next 3 years in Parliament when he wins so that when the next GE comes, he will be unstoppable. Better to negotiate with him upfront for making him a celebrity and then go all out and make him a national star even Najib/Mahathir/Badawi together run for Perak MB office, they can’t match him….
#10 by k1980 on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 9:01 am
Ong Boon Piaw was arrested for producing a DVD on “Democracy Tree”.
Chua Soi Lick was not arrested for producing a DVD on “What mca Ministers do in Hotel Rooms”.
Where got fair man….
#11 by Kit on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 9:15 am
Boon Piaw was released by police on personal bond at 1.10 am this morning for allegedly violating the Film Censorship Act 2002 for “manufacturing, circulating, distributing, displaying” the “Democracy Tree” DVD without first getting a B certificate from the Film Censorship Board.
Such an offence entails a fine from RM5,000 to RM30,000, three years’ jail or both.
Boon Piaw is to report back to the police on April 13 to find out the next course of police action.
Just imagine the far-reaching repercussions of such a law – which will make a criminal of every IT-savvy citizen in the country!
Ominous signs of increasing repression in Malaysia under Najib.
#12 by AhPek on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 9:34 am
How the hell the Film Censorship Board could interpret the Democracy Tree as pornographic material or material inciting terrorist act against the country?
[deleted]
#13 by boh-liao on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 10:16 am
Ha, ha or no ha, ha – PR State Assemblymen and MPs better beware that the BN controlled agencies have many ways to skin a cat or to disqualify them as State Assemblymen and MPs.
One by one, slowly but surely, PR State Assemblymen and MPs will be charged and disqualified for various offences, like poking people’s posterior holes, sucking the wrong turgid objects, producing and circulating DVDs, buying and giving cows, selling sand and stones, disrespecting the royalties and rose, openly talking about C4 and AS, etc.
Beware, the dark forces have been released!
#14 by sheriff singh on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 10:47 am
So if PR were to distribute videos of ceramahs during the by-elections campaigns, they will be charged for similar offences. Its that simple. It is an attempt to “neutralise” all of you, put you all behind bars. It the new thinking and direction of the “new” administration.
I just wonder who gave the instructions to detain and charge. The police by themselves don’t appear to me to be that intelligent or resourceful. Was it “botak” who lost in the UMNO elections and is now throwing tantrums?
I gotta tell my 84 year old granma she’s a criminal. She knows how to burn CDs of family functions and distributing these to family members. And she does does not have a “B” certificate; she only has a birth certificate.
#15 by Taxidriver on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:00 am
LKS,
Half a century ago, flesh-trading business were conducted under coconut trees. ( NO, I did’nt visit that place because I was still a little boy ). The pertinent question is: Are you sure Boon Piaw’s DVD does not contain scenes of such activities? If so, he needed to go to the Film Censorship Board to apply for a ‘B’OLEH Certificate. The people there are very helpful.
Next, he should have called on the Poohlis with an envelope ( otherwise the Poohlis will make it their business, although we know it is not ) The pertinent question is: Did Boon Piaw do that?
NOW………if there was nothing obscene in his DVD, how is that the Poohlis can arrest him?? Sai Abba, over to you.
There is a story going around town that Najib and Rosmah have a strong dislike for that ‘Democracy Tree’ because it is a PAS Tree-POKOK ALTANTUYA SHAARIIBUU
#16 by clearwater on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:03 am
To carry out matters to its logical conclusion, the police should arrest Democracy Tree for being the star in an illegally produced DVD. I am sure they can find some obscure law to charge the tree with since they have a real talent in these matters albeit less in solving/combating violent crimes against the public. To help reduce unemployment, they should recruit a special task force comprising new recruits specializing in policing trees under suspicion of harboring democratic tendencies or ambitions of appearing in DVDs.
#17 by sheriff singh on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:06 am
Use cell phone to take pictures and videos OK or not? SMS and MMS? What about using YouTube?
#18 by OrangRojak on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:19 am
What’s a ‘B certificate’? I couldn’t find anything online, except the usual nonsense about sensitivities and IMDB’s list of 224 movies banned in Malaysia. They banned ‘Babe’! My kids love that movie – it didn’t win an Academy Award for nothing.
#19 by I Malaysian on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:24 am
They see every journey into a tunnel will see a light but in Malaysia the tunnel the rakyat going through either too long or no end.
I hope the tunnel ends with a light.
#20 by swee_ann_tweety on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:32 am
Malaysians!!! Let’s all stand up.
1. Let us know where we can download this DVD
2. Let us all upload this DVD to our Youtube accounts and put the title “Barisan Nasional Banned this Movie in Malaysia”.
3. Everyone who agrees with this say “AYE with the start of your comment”!
Barisan Nasional is so afraid of a damn tree. WHY ? Hell Barisan Nasional should ban Microsoft Windows because it has Movie Maker in it where people can create movie. Barisan Nasional should sue Microsoft and Bill Gates because their products cause the violations of the Film Censorship Act 2002 which can lead to “manufacturing, circulating, distributing, displaying” DVDs without first getting a B certificate from the Film Censorship Board.
#21 by k1980 on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 11:49 am
George Washington gave a cherry tree a good whack and chopped it down. His father saw the damaged tree and asked his son if he knew who did the deed. George answered: “I can’t tell a lie, Pa; you know I can’t tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet.”
Now, if umno were to rule the colonies of America at that time, poor George Washington would be fined from UDS5,000 to USD30,000, three years’ jail or both. So there would never be the US War of Independence from Britain and no Vietnam, Korean, Afghan or Iraq wars. And the Japanese would still be the rulers of Malaya today and Maths and Science would be taught in Nippon-go instead of BM or English….
#22 by UzMiNoOnist on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 12:39 pm
Sorry folks,
We know that UMNO is abusing its power to repress the citizen with all means.
First they will try all legal means, then will try semi-legal means and finally try illegal means.
Legal abuses are the use of the PDRM, AG, Judiciary, Custom, Marines, Armies, KDN,
Semi legal like Constitution, Correct, correct, correct, money politics, buying over MPs in Perak, appointment of MB Zamry…
Illegal means, wack up Karpal Singh in Parliament and recently during nomination day, Malatov, vandalism etc
#23 by kmkurup on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 12:42 pm
A very ominous start to Najis’ regime. The UMNO/BN are even scared of a tree. First they destroyed the democracy plaque. Now they have arrested the person who made a DVD of the democracy tree. Next they would be scared of their own shadows. Who knows the pontianak of the mongolian might be following them.
Anyway kudos to our very efficient police. Looks like every state and district police chiefs are doing their utmost to be in the good books of Najis. Have they started the race to the IGP’s post? He is still alive and kicking, isn’t he?
#24 by waterfrontcoolie on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 1:34 pm
It is a desperate act of someone grapping on anything while about to drown!! Remember this is good publicity for the by-elections!
#25 by letek on Monday, 30 March 2009 - 10:41 pm
What a nonsense the Mr. h guy been using the sinful mindset to enjoy his free sex with an assembly women ,compare it with a real democratic event held under a Holy rain-tree and instead of a video pornography sold it to media for extortion which dosen’t cause the running dog to put a warrant tangkap to arrest on the spot, instead ask the victim to resign ! what a big disgust and disgraceful event and shamful to Malaysian records in this world.
#26 by ekans on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 - 11:18 am
When the broken remains of the democracy plaque was being auctioned under the tree, the UMNO’s BN employed ‘guardians’ of law and order had even thought of considering such an activity as an unlawful assembly.
No surprise that the same ‘guardians’ are treating those who made & want to distribute the ‘democracy tree’ video like those who are involved in video piracy.
But if a DVD containing footage of UMNO’s BN activities like UMNO’s recent major get-together, was made in the same manner, would their own ‘guardians’ of law and order react in the same way?