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7 Responses to “Namewee and World Cup Fever | 2010 FIFA World Cup”

1. alan on June 15th, 2010 at 7:54 am

   World Cup players going ball-istic over the Jabulani

   THE World Cup is only five days old, and already it has been hit by controversy.

   FIFA’s official Jabulani (it means “rejoice” in Zulu) ball has been roundly (forgive the pun) criticised by both players and team officials.

   England’s Emile Heskey claimed the ball contributed to his bad miss against the USA on Saturday night, and said that goalkeeper Tim Howard was “lucky” to save his shot.

   “The ball swerves and moves around,” was how the big striker described the Jabulani, which took four years of design and development in Loughborough University, UK.

   The ball is constructed using a new design, consisting of eight (down from 14 in the last World Cup) thermally-bonded, three-dimensional panels. The surface of the ball is textured with grooves, a technology developed by Adidas called “GripnGroove” intended to improve the ball’s aerodynamics.

   Then why is it that after years of development, and despite FIFA’s assurances that extensive tests were conducted, the Jabulani ball has attracted a storm of criticism?

   Goalkeepers Julio Cesar, Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon from Brazil, Spain and Italy respectively have complained about the ball.

   Brazilian striker Robinho went so far as to condemn the designer, saying, “for sure the guy who designed this ball never played football.”

   But the best quote has to be from US goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, “Technology is not everything; scientists came up with the atom bomb, doesn’t mean we should have invented it!”

   There has to be some sympathy for the players in South Africa. In five days, I have lost count of the number of passes that have been miskicked or the number of crosses that have gone astray. These are the world’s best players, not your average Sunday five-a-side footballer.

   Having said that, I have absolutely no sympathy for Robert Green and Faouzi Chaouchi. Green for England and Chaouchi for Algeria were both guilty of committing goalkeeping howlers.

   Green allowed Clint Dempsey’s speculative shot to bounce off him and into the net, while Chaouchi fumbled a harmless shot from Slovenia’s Robert Koren, letting the ball squirt through his arms and into goal.

   Both goals were down to schoolboy errors and in no way can be attributed to the “unpredictability” of the Jabulani. To Green’s credit, he owned up to his blunder, whereas Algeria’s coach Rabah Saadane blamed the ball and the turf for his team’s loss.

   Sour grapes? You be the judge. One thing is certain though, expect to see and hear many more complaints from players and coaches.

   Just don’t expect FIFA to change their official ball midway through the competition. In fact, a gold version of the ball, the Jo’bulani, will be used in the final in Johannesburg on July 12. The only teams able to use it will be the two teams in the final.

   fr:thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/15/nation/6468783&sec=nation

2. alan on July 13th, 2010 at 8:07 am

   Betting kingpins identified

   KUALA LUMPUR: Police are looking to nab four kingpins, believed to be the brains behind football betting syndicates, when they return to the country.

   The four, believed to be local businessmen in their late 40s, had left the country shortly before police began Ops Soga, the nationwide crackdown on illegal online football betting in April.

   Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin said police had identified the four men and will nab them once they enter the country.

   When asked how confident police were that the kingpins would return to Malaysia, he said the men had left the country legally using their passports.

   He added the men had family members here and police were keeping a close watch on them.

   Comm Bakri also called Ops Soga a success, which saw an increase of 300% in arrests and raids compared to the crackdown carried out during the European Championships in 2008.

   “A total of 270 raids were carried out and 227 people, including 11 foreigners, were arrested.

   “So far we have recorded up to RM419.2mil in bets collected from these cases alone,” he said, adding there were more syndicates.

   “Although the World Cup is over, our efforts will continue as the betting would move on to the national football leagues,” he said.

   Among the items seized were 147 laptops, 178 mobile phones, 450 betting slips and RM99,266.

   Comm Bakri added those arrested, aged between 15 and 73, are being investigated under the Betting Act 1953, while 33 of them are also being investigated under The Anti Money Laundering Act 2001.

   fr:thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/13/nation/6652568&sec=nation

3. alan on August 31st, 2010 at 5:33 pm

   Namewee under probe over video
   By NELSON BENJAMIN, AUSTIN CAMOENS and M. KUMAR

   JOHOR BARU: Police have started investigating controversial rapper Wee Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, for posting a video on YouTube condemning a principal who allegedly made a racist statement recently.

   He is being investigated under the Sedi-tion Act, said Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin.

   He said police would be calling Wee soon to record his statement.

   Wee, 27, removed the video from YouTube after it met with disapproval from various parties, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

   “It does not matter if he has removed the video; we still have to investigate,” said Bakri.

   The 27-year-old Muar-born artiste first made headlines with his infamous Negarakuku YouTube music video in 2007, which he did while studying in a university in Taiwan.

   Since then, the rapper had also been criticised for hitting out at Tenaga Nasional Bhd after his home in Muar was hit by a blackout and for his views and sentiments on the Chinese independent school system.

   Wee, when contacted yesterday, said he was unperturbed by the investigation.

   He, however, expressed disappointment over the way his video had been politicised.

   “I am sad that the authorities have done nothing against the racist principal but instead focused their attention on me. I do not regret what I have done as I love my country and do not want a small group of people to stir problems,” he said.

   Wee said he grew up with friends of various races and that was why he was angered by a few “black sheep” in the education system who did not respect Malaysia as a multiracial country with religious freedom.

   “My main reason for uploading the new video was to stand up against racism,” he said, adding that he used obscene language as a form of communication and did not intend it to offend anyone.

   fr:thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/31/nation/6948423&sec=nation

4. alan on August 31st, 2010 at 11:13 pm

   Namewee says he is 1 Malaysia
   By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
   August 31, 2010

   KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 – Controversial song writer Wee Meng Chee presented himself to police here tonight in connection with a probe into whether he committed sedition over a music video he posted on Youtube, and declared himself the personification of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia.

   Wee, better known as Namewee, had posted the video which contained trademark utterances of vulgarities and obscenities in response to an incident involving a Johor school principal who allegedly made racist remarks to her pupils.

   He arrived tonight at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail police station in a grey BMW accompanied by his lawyer at 9.20pm.

   Namewee, wearing a green shirt with a white beanie cap, told reporters that he was not racist, in response to accusations from Umno politicians.

   “It doesn’t mean that If I see something wrong in my country, I will remain quiet because I am Malaysian. I am anti-racism and support 1 Malaysia,” he said in the police station parking lot.

   Late last night Namewee posted on his Facebook page that policemen in three patrol cars came to his house in Muar to arrest him.

   “3 POLICE CARS FINALLY CAME TO MY MUAR HOME TO ARREST ME***** this happened 15 minutes before our 53rd National Day Celebration, YES, I’m still here but for how long more, I don’t know … my beloved MALAYSIA, where is our justice system?! (THIS IS NOT A JOKE),” said Namewee in a message that attracted more than 3,000 comments from Facebook users.

   However earlier today Johor Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Amer Awal told The Malaysian Insider that there has been no plan yet to arrest Namewee.

   “Not true, not true, we are still investigating his case,” Amer told The Malaysian Insider.

   Namewee is under investigation for allegedly producing a seditious music video which was uploaded on YouTube.

   The video was a reaction to SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra principal Siti Inshah Mansor’s alleged racist remarks to her pupils.

   He removed the video from the video sharing site following public disapproval.

   The Taiwanese graduate first made headlines in 2007, after he produced a music video purportedly ridiculing the national anthem and the Islamic call for prayer.

   The recent video resulted in calls for government to take stern action against Namewee, including arresting him under the ISA and revoking his citizenship.

   Namewee said tonight that he believes he has the support of the public.

   “This is why I am ready to cooperate with the police officers. I believe that the police will support me in anti-racism and I believe the country will support me,” he said.

   “I am mentally healthy, I have no injuries and I will not commit suicide,” he said.

   fr:themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/namewee-says-he-is-1-malaysia/

5. alan on September 1st, 2010 at 9:16 am

   Police: Wee not arrested yet

   JOHOR BARU: Police have dismissed talk that they have arrested controversial rapper Wee Meng Chee or Namewee for allegedly posting an offensive video on popular web-sharing site YouTube.

   “We have not arrested Wee as yet,” said Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff.

   DCP Mohd Mokhtar said so far six police reports had been lodged against the rapper for condemning a principal who allegedly made racist statements against her non-Malay students in Kulaijaya recently.

   Wee, 27, who was filming a video in Kuala Lumpur, later went to the Taman Tun Dr Ismail police station in Kuala Lumpur at about 9.15pm accompanied by his lawyer Raveen Singh to give his statement.

   He came about three hours later and said he had co-operated fully with the police.

   “I was not given any warning. I only gave my statement,” he said while expressing hope that people would continue to support him to speak up against racism.

   MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said freedom of expression came with responsibility and due consideration should be given to the sensitivities of other people.

   He said Wee might be unhappy with whoever but he should not have used vulgar words.

   “I saw the post and I must say there are a lot of vulgar words or signs being used.

   “He is not only showing off his talent but he is also using uncivilised words,” he said, adding that the current post was different from the Negaraku music video clip about three years ago.

   On the same note, Dr Chua said school principals should also be charged if there was proof that they had used racial remarks against their students.

   He said this would send a strong signal to all as the Prime Minister had said Malaysians should reject any form of extremism in race and religion.

   “A person should face the music for such a breach,” he said.

   Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said action would be taken against Wee if his latest video posting was indeed stoking racial sentiments.

   “I have been briefed by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and have directed the police to investigate the case from all angles,” he said yesterday.
   fr:thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/1/nation/6957148&sec=nation

6. alan on September 2nd, 2010 at 10:05 am

   Learn from Namewee controversy, says Khairy

   KOTA BARU: The controversy over the video clip by rapper Wee Meng Chee or Namewee should be a lesson on the need to exercise restraint when commenting on racially-sensitive issues.

   Umno Youth chief Khairy Jama­luddin said the rapper did not seem to have learned from a previous controversy he was embroiled in.

   “We forgave him before and thought that he had changed when he returned to Malaysia.

   “We have tolerated a lot but when the insult is too blatant, the time has come for stern action,” he told reporters after a meeting with Kota Baru Umno Youth chief Rosmadi Ismail here on Tuesday night.

   Police recorded Namewee’s statement to facilitate investigations into the video clip which allegedly contained racial slurs.

   Namewee created a controversy in 2007 while in Taiwan with his infamous national anthem rap.

   Urging police to speed up their investigations, Khairy, who is the Rembau MP, said what the rapper had done was unacceptable in a multiracial society and that the issue should be dealt with swiftly.

   “If there are racist statements from anyone, police and the prosecutor should act swiftly or else they can cause further damage,” he said.

   Khairy also refuted claims that the Malays were too sensitive, saying “we have in fact tolerated a lot of things.”

   MIC Youth chief T. Mohan also called on the Government to conduct a proper investigation into the latest video clip by Wee.

   “If it is found that Namewee had hurt the feelings of other races, then we fully support punitive action against him,” he said in a statement.

   fr:thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/2/nation/6960533&sec=nation

7. alan on September 4th, 2010 at 2:13 pm

   Rapper declines to reveal details of questioning that lasted over seven hours

   CYBERJAYA: Controversial rapper Wee Meng Chee was questioned for more than seven hours at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) headquarters here over a video clip he posted on YouTube condemning racist remarks made by a principal at a Johor school recently.

   Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, arrived at the MCMC headquarters at about 12.30pm yesterday with his manager Fred Wong and left at about 8pm after his statement was recorded.

   Speaking to reporters before leaving, Meng Chee said he was contacted on Thursday and told to go to the MCMC office to give his statement over the video.

   He said he was questioned by four officers from the police and the MCMC.

   However, he said he could not reveal details of the questions.

   “They did not give me any warning or threaten me with action; they only wanted to gather details on the video that I posted and I answered all of their questions.

   “I answered truthfully because I have nothing to fear since my intention for posting the video was to voice out against racism and not because I am racist,” said Meng Chee.

   Recently, Meng Chee uploaded a video titled “Nah” on YouTube criticising the alleged racist remarks uttered against students.

   In Kuala Lumpur, MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said Meng Chee may have had good intentions when he created the video clip to criticise racism but the use of vulgar words in his performance was unacceptable.

   He said it was not the Asian culture to use vulgar and obscene words and even the Chinese community could not agree with the way Meng Chee had expressed his views.

   Speaking to reporters after meeting several Chinese youth organisations here yesterday, Wee said Meng Chee had to be sensitive towards the feelings of other races and should not be offensive when expressing his views.

   On whether any legal action should be taken against Meng Chee, Dr Wee said that would be decided by the Attorney-General’s Cham­bers.

   fr:thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/4/nation/6978207&sec=nation