KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian artist and author Cheeming Boey has stated that he never intended to offend anyone with his comic titled “When I Was A Kid 3,” which was recently banned after being released in 2014. In a post on his official Facebook account, Boey expressed his disappointment over the ban and explained that even with the purest intentions, it is still possible to unintentionally offend. He also mentioned that his comic was a hit when it was first released, leading to invitations to speak at schools across the country.
Boey recalled the enjoyable interactions he had with readers of all ages during this time and revealed that “When I Was A Kid 3” was his first book to win the Reader’s Choice Award. However, he expressed shock at the ban almost a decade later, believing that it was specifically caused by the chapter titled “Coconuts II.”
In this chapter, Boey recounts his father’s attempt to showcase the impressive climbing speed of their Indonesian domestic worker on a coconut tree in their backyard. However, his father compared the domestic helper to a monkey. Boey clarified that his intention was not to degrade, but to praise the astonishing agility the domestic helper displayed while climbing the tree like a monkey. He also mentioned that he had personally tried to climb the tree at the same speed.
Boey apologized deeply to those who found offense in his comic and to those he unintentionally hurt. He emphasized that love and respect are his core values and expressed gratitude for the opportunities his storytelling journey has provided in terms of education and entertainment. The experience has taught him valuable lessons, including the fact that there are highs and lows in every journey. He concluded his post by thanking everyone for their support.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
