Hew Kuan Yau allowed to challenge comic book ban by home minister

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today granted Hew Kuan Yau (above) leave to file a judicial review against the ban on his comic book, titled "Belt and Road Initiative for Win-Winism".

Hew's lawyer J Shamesh said High Court judge Mariana Yahya in her chambers this morning set Jan 20 for the case management.

"Jan 20 will be case management to see whether or not all the requirements will be fulfilled. The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) will be filing its affidavit responding to what we have filed.

"I believe that they will be objecting, and then the hearing date will be fixed," Shamesh told members of the media outside the courtroom today.

According to the review application filed on Nov 26, 2019, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the Home Ministry, the AGC and the government are named as respondents.

The judicial review application seeks to quash the home minister's ban order and the AGC's gazette of the ban order, dated Oct 23, 2019.

Hew also appealed to the court to rule Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 as unconstitutional and to be deemed null and void. He also sought a court order to compel the Home Ministry to return all seized copies of the book.

The applicant also sought a court order or declaration to enforce the "Fundamental Liberties" rights, as enshrined in Part II of Federal Constitution, in relation to the book ban order by the home minister.

Hew, who is known by his moniker 'Superman Hew', is the co-author of the comic published by the Asia Comic Cultural Museum in three languages - Malay, English and Chinese. The prohibition order applies to all three languages the comic book is published in.

The book largely paints a glowing picture of China and its "Belt and Road Initiative", while putting the Western world in a negative light.

Other controversial parts include describing Malays sympathising with the ethnic Uyghurs in China - who are allegedly being put in "re-education camps" by Beijing - as "radicals".

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said on Oct 21 last year that while Malaysia regards China as a friend and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has benefitted the country, it is not for Malaysia to promote Beijing's ideology to our children.

Then, two days later, the Home Ministry announced the ban on the comic book, for its alleged promotion of communism and socialism, under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

Pakatan Harapan has pledged to abolish several repressive laws, including the Printing Presses and Publications Act, in its 14 general election manifesto. - Mkini