The police have obtained a three-day remand order against cartoonist Zunar, who was arrested last night over a twitter posting.

Zunar is being investigated under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act for his tweet which followed the Federal Court's decision to uphold Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy conviction and five-year jail sentence.

His tweet read: "The lackeys in black robes are proud of their sentence (imposed on Anwar). The reward from (their) political masters must be plenty."
    
Speaking to Malaysiakini last night, the cartoonist, who is already facing sedition investigations for his work, was unfazed about being arrested.

"Go ahead (and investigate). I made a general statement which applies to all judges anywhere in the world,” he said.

'Twitter police have no sense of humour'

When contacted, his lawyer Melissa Sasidaran said the lenghty remand is sought harassment because the police have yet to question her client despite having him in custody since last night.

"The police submitted to the magistrate that they need to record his statements and take his photograph, among others.

"They had him since last night and they could have done everything by now. But yet they ask for four days to do just that. This is excessive and unnecessary," she said.

Zunar was arrested at his home in Kuala Lumpur at 9pm last night and spent the night at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters before being brought for remand proceedings.

In immediate reaction, Human Rights Watch Asia division deputy director said the accusations of sedition is "laughable".

"Except the police inspector general and the Malaysian 'twitter police' apparently don't have a ense of humour.

"They seem to be turning peaceful criticism into a criminal act that threatens the state," he said in a statement.

'I am okay!': Zunar sends cartoon from lock-up