Malaysian student defends YouTube rap video of national anthem

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - A Malaysian Chinese student has defended posting a racially provocative rap video of the national anthem on YouTube that enraged ethnic Malays, saying he was merely exposing the truth in his music, according to a report Thursday. Wee Meng Chee has come under fire for mocking the national anthem and racial slurs in his rap video posted on the Internet site last month, which sparked a flood of abusive criticism from Malays but expressions of support from the ethnic Chinese community.

The divergent responses expose the deep divisions in the multiethnic country, where minority Chinese and Indians have long resented the privileges that the majority Muslim Malays receive in jobs and education under an affirmative action program.

More than half a million people have viewed the six-minute clip, in which Wee blends the national anthem, "Negaraku," with a rap song that bemoaned discrimination that Chinese face in Malaysia.

He also poked fun at Muslim morning prayers broadcast from mosques, corrupt policemen and laid-back civil servants, who are mostly Malays. Some of the lyrics implied that Malays are arrogant and Chinese are hardworking.

Officials have said they are investigating whether Wee has flouted the Sedition Act, which carries a maximum prison term of three years.

But Wee, who is studying at the Ming Chuan University in Taiwan, insisted he was patriotic and didn't mean to be seditious or to attack the government, The Star newspaper said.

"I'm simply reflecting the truth about our society through my music and I did not mean to offend anyone by producing such a video clip. I still love my country," the 24-year-old was quoted as saying.

Wee said in the report that he wrote the song in conjunction with Malaysia's 50th independence on Aug. 31, describing it as his "gift" to the country. He said he had removed the video from the website after receiving negative responses but it was uploaded again by some other supporters, the newspaper said.

His face can be clearly seen in the video and he sings with the Malaysian flag as a backdrop.

Such direct lampooning of a race in public is highly uncommon in Malaysia, where the three main ethnic groups have lived peacefully together since racial riots on May 13, 1969, left at least 200 people dead.

© The Canadian Press, 2007