The Home Ministry has banned four books containing elements that contradict with true Islamic teaching and present false facts on the country's security agency.

Secretary-general of the ministry Alwi Ibrahim said the books were titled 'Pergolakan Pemikiran Islam: Catatan Harian Ahmad Wahib', 'Malaysia And The Club Of Doom: The Collapse Of The Islamic Countries', 'Torture In Malaysia Prisons: Who You Didn't Know And Need To Know To Act' and 'The Qoran: A Very Short Introduction'.

The books were issued a prohibition order in accordance with Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 (Act 301) for containing elements that could disrupt harmony, alarm the public, cause harm to the public, and contradict with laws that upheld the nation's well-being, Alwi said.

Meanwhile, three of the books contained elements that could confuse Muslims in the country on the implementation and practice of Islam as according to Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah, while another book if left unmonitored could mislead the public's view on the country's security agency, he said.

"It is an offence for any parties to print, import, produce, reproduce, publish, sell, issue, circulate, distribute or to possess these banned publications," he said in a statement today.

Alwi said, according to Section 8(2) of the act, if found guilty for the offence, the offender could face imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine of not more than RM20,000, or both.

- Bernama