Cartoonist Zunar and Malaysiakini today have inched closer to challenging the order by the Home Ministry to ban Perak Darul Kartun and 1Funny Malaysia .

This follows the Kuala Lumpur High Court (Appellate and Special Powers division) granting leave (permission) for Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, and Malaysiakini to begin to challenge the order.

In judicial review applications, it is not an automatic right for the application to be heard as leave had to be gained.

Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh made the decision in chambers after hearing submissions from lawyer K Shanmuga and senior federal counsel Noorhisham Ismail.

cartoon-o-phobia zunar press conference in malaysiakini 1 Noorhisham did not object to the leave application.

Shanmuga said Justice Zawawi has fixed Nov 4 for the case to be mentioned.

Noorhisham said the ministry will raise substantive matters during the hearing.

Zunar ( left ) and Malaysiakini had filed two applications for judicial review against the Home Ministry, to challenge the ban imposed on two political cartoon books.

The applicants claimed the ban is illegal and an infringement of the right of free speech guaranteed by the federal constitution.

They also claim that the ban on the books 1Funny Malaysia and Perak Darul Kartun breached the rules of natural justice and was not done fairly, as neither Zulkiflee nor Malaysiakini were given reasons for the move.

Both applications seek a removal of the ban, as well as damages incurred over loss of business resulting from the ban.

The books were banned on June 24 this year by the Home Ministry when it claimed they were "not suitable and detrimental to public order" and said they could "influence the people to revolt against the leaders and government policies".