Sunday 29 July 2012

Design professionals find Merdeka logo appalling

The Graphic Design Association of Malaysia (wREGA) plans to lobby the government to push for the Merdeka Day logo to be changed.

In a posting on their Facebook this week, wREGA president Zachary Ong said he was “appalled by the poor quality in creativity, skill, execution and rationale” of the logo for this year’s independence celebrations.

NONE“We believe it does not do justice to represent the real virtues, principles and spirit of independence of our country.

“We are genuinely and deeply concerned that the quality of good graphic design of this country is deteriorating,” said Ong in the posting.

He added that the association is “taking the necessary actions to speak to relevant parties to seek understanding and work out a solution”.

This week netizens, in particular graphic designers, were up in arms over the logo, that DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said would make Malaysia “a laughing stock”.

The uproar sparked parodies and jokes, and local designers even set up an online competition to come up with their own versions of how the logo ought to look like.

Even Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin agreed that the official logo was “aesthetically challenged”.

Ministry takes note
Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim however defended the logo as an original work and “not plagiarised”, blaming the criticism as “political”.

NONEThe ministry has however posted on its Facebook that it is looking into the public’s comments on the Merdeka Day theme and logo.

“Thanks for various comments and views that have been given on the theme and logo of the 55th Merdeka Day celebrations.

“The ministry’s administration has taken note of these and will further inform the public about the matter,” it said.
The government's 55th Merdeka celebrations is not going smoothly, as its theme first caused all-round consternation for using BN's slogan 'Janji ditepati'.

Besides the ruckus over the infantile logo, the theme song has also been slammed as "vulgar propaganda".

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