Not an offence to read ‘radical’ book, says witness

comments     Bernama     Published     Updated

A lecturer told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday that it was not an offence for an individual to read a book that is ‘radical’ in nature.

Associate Prof Dr Kamaruddin Salleh of the Islamic Studies and Philosophy department at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said whether or not a book could influence a person depended on the individual’s interpretation of the contents.

He said this under cross-examination by counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad at the trial of Yazid Sufaat, 51, and cafeteria assistant Muhammad Hilmi Hasim, 35.

Yazid, a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, is facing two charges of promoting violence to instigate the public in Syria and of being a member of the Tanzim al-Qaeda Malaysia group, while Muhammad Hilmi is accused of abetting him.

They allegedly committed the offences at DL 11, Taman Bukit Ampang, Lorong Mutiara 2, Lembah Jaya, Ampang between Aug 1, 2012 and Feb 7, 2013.

On Tuesday, Kamarudin testified that he was asked by an investigating officer, Insp S Manivanan, to read and assess five books including one titled ‘Perang Akhir Zaman’, from the perspective of Islam.

Four other books handed to him were, ‘Memusuhi Penguasa Murtad’; ‘Dunia Tanpa Suami siri 2'; ‘Perjalanan Cinta Isteri Seorang Mujahid’ and an Arabic-Malay dictionary, Al-Kautsar.

Kamarudin, who is the ninth witness, said he was only asked orally by Manivanan to read and assess the five books without being told where they had been obtained.

“There was no written request,” he said, adding that he came to know Manivanan at a function a month prior to receiving the books on July 15, 2013 at his office.

Except for the dictionary, he said, he had never seen the rest of the books.

Kamarudin, who has been a lecturer for almost 22 years, told the court that neither his colleagues nor other lecturers had helped him in preparing the report on the five books.

He said he had never shown the books to anyone.

He said he took two months to prepare the report and did not conduct any study to obtain public feedback on the books.

“The report is based on my own views,” he said, telling the court that he would not know whether the books could have influenced Yazid and Hilmi.

Meanwhile, during re examination in chief by deputy public prosecutor Nurdeenie Abdul Rashid, the witness said he was not familiar with the two accused and only knew who they were while giving his testimony yesterday.

The trial before Mohd Azman Husin continues today.

- Bernama



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