'NEGARAKUKU' Rapper Courted By Politicians

Members of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have approached Wee Meng Chee.

New Straits Times

By SIm Bak Heng

MUAR: The Malaysian student, whose rap version of the Negaraku was widely criticised last year, claims that he has been courted by politicians from both the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat since early this year.

Wee Meng Chee, 25, who graduated from a Taiwanese university recently, said he had rejected the overtures because he was not interested in politics. "I am a straightforward person. Black is black and white is white," said Wee."

In politics, black could be turned into white, and white could be painted black. You would not know what is in the mind of others. "One moment, they could be your friend and in the next moment, they turn into your enemy.

"I am concerned about the political developments in the country but I don't want to get involved in politics."

This is despite the fact that several political parties from both the Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat approached me." Wee's Negarakuku touched on issues like race and religion and was featured on the Internet.

After he graduated from the Ming Chuang University in Taiwan, Wee and three friends embarked on a one-month journey from July 31 to film a documentary about the lives of Malaysians overseas.

He completed the filming and returned to Malaysia last Friday.The 90-minute documentary was filmed in Hong Kong, Macau, China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

Wee said several leaders from a political party came to Taiwan in February and asked for his help to compose a song for the March 8 general election.

He said he did not do it because he had no inspiration.

"Last Sunday, another political party invited me to see its leader in Kuala Lumpur. No reasons were given, so I turned it down," he said.

He believed that these parties either wanted to recruit him as a member or to get him to write songs for them.Wee, who graduated in media studies, said he had composed more than 400 songs in the past 10 years.

Asked if he was worried about returning to the country following his controversial Negarakuku, Wee said he was not as Malaysia was his homeland. "At the Bukit Kayu Hitam entry point, my friends entered first to check if there was any warrant for my arrest. Only when they said the coast was clear, did I enter.

"I am more worried that my one-month recordings will be seized by the authorities," he said.