The the hearing of a judicial review brought by a publisher Sepakat Efektif Sdn Bhd and Malaysiakini against the Home Ministry's ban against two books by cartoonist Zunar has been postponed.

Justice Rohana Yusof decided on the postponement after meeting the applicant's lawyer K Shanmuga and senior federal counsel Nor Hisham Ismail.

The case was initially fixed for hearing today at the Kuala Lumpur High Court (Appellate and Special Powers division).

On Oct 8 last year, the courts granted Sepakat Efektif and Malaysiakini leave to challenge the Home Ministry's ban against two of Zunar's cartoon books – 1Funny Malaysia and Perak Darul Kartun .

The Home Ministry had banned the two books on June 24 last year, citing the books as “detrimental to public order” and that it could “influence people to revolt” against government leaders and policies.

However, the two applicants claimed that the ban was not only illegal but an infringement of the rights to free speech guaranteed by the Federal Constitution.

They also claimed that the ban on the two books was in breach of the rules of natural justice, as neither Zunar, real name Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, nor Malaysiakini was informed of the grounds of the ban.

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