Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail claims it is not accurate to describe his ministry’s book seizure in Kuala Lumpur last week as a “raid” on the premises.
This is because the ministry’s enforcers only took two books from Toko Buku Rakyat at Wisma Central, which is a bookstore owned by local author Benz Ali.
“The more accurate term would be we went and took two books. Not the entire shop.
“A raid and seizure gave a connotation that the entire shop was taken. The ‘real’ story is two books were taken, and that, too, based on public complaints,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
Last Friday, Benz said four officials from the ministry showed up at the shop to conduct a raid and seized two titles: ‘Marx the Revolutionary Educator’ (Marx Sang Pendidik Revolusioner) written by Robin Smalls and ‘Masturbation Poetry Collection’ (Koleksi Puisi Masturbasi) written by Benz himself.
Benz had argued that both titles sold were not listed on the government's banned book list, and so should not be seized.
Saifuddin, however, insisted that Home Ministry officials are empowered under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 to act upon public complaints and that both books will be returned to Benz if found to not contain any elements that could trigger public unrest.
“Ask him (Benz) to send us the bill,” Saifuddin quipped when informed that Benz had said Home Ministry officials should have bought both books from him instead for their inspection. - Mkini
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