The author of a book on the 2001 Kampung Medan clashes lost his final legal bid at the Federal Court in Putrajaya today, to have the 2006 ban on the book lifted.

Engineer-turned-lawyer K Arumugam, 54, failed to obtain leave from the court’s five-member panel to appeal against the government’s decision to ban the book.

Federal Court judge Ahmad Maarop, who led the panel, unanimously dismissed Arumugam’s application for leave to appeal against a high court decision in upholding the government’s decision to ban the Tamil language book.

Also comprising justices Hasan Lah, Zaleha Zahari, Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha and Ramly Ali, the panel did not make any order on costs.

On Feb 23, 2007, Arumugam filed a judicial review application seeking to declare invalid, the order made by the home minister on Nov 21, 2006 to prohibit the publication, sale and distribution of the book on grounds that it was a threat to national security.

The book is titled, ‘March 8', after the violent riots at Kampung Medan in Selangor on March 8, 2001.

Arumugam, who is also Suaram chairperson, had in his judicial review application, named the internal security minister and deputy internal security minister at that time, as well as the Malaysian government, as respondents.

On July 10, 2007, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur granted Arumugam leave to commence his judicial review application.

After hearing the judicial review application, the High Court had on Feb 12, 2010 dismissed Arumugam's application for a certiorari order to quash the government’s decision to ban the book.

He lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal which had on Aug 6, 2012 upheld the High Court decision.

Arumugam was represented by lawyers Fahri Azzat and Edmund Bon while senior federal counsel Shamsul Bol Hassan acted for the respondents.

- Bernama