The government has banned a book by G25, a national group of Malay-Muslim leaders, on the grounds that its content which touches on Islam’s position in a constitutional democracy such as Malaysia was deemed to be prejudicial to public order.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the home minister, had on June 14 authorised the ban on the book titled "Breaking the Silence: Voices of Moderation - Islam in a Constitutional Democracy".

The ban under the Printing Presses and Publications (Control of Undesirable Publications) (No 12) Order 2017 was gazetted into law yesterday, according to the Attorney-General's Chambers e-Federal Gazette.

"The printing, importation, production, reproduction, publishing, sale, issue, circulation, distribution or possession of the publication which is likely to be prejudicial to public order, likely to alarm public opinion and likely to be prejudicial to public interest is absolutely prohibited throughout Malaysia," the gazette read.

The book, which featured a series of articles on the impact of Islamic bureaucracy in Malaysia and its consistency with provisions of the Federal Constitution, was first published by Singapore-based Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd in December 2015.

According to the publisher’s website, the book also addresses the sociopolitical dimensions and cultural-economic implications on the Malaysian society.

Among the 22 writers are constitutional scholar Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, Just World director Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Universiti Malaya law professor Azmi Sharom, and former Sisters in Islam executive director Ratna Osman.

English-daily theSun quoted G25 spokesperson Noor Farida Ariffin as saying that she was shocked by the ban, describing it as an act of “repression” on the part of the government.

"This book consists mainly of academic articles by leading academics, prominent lawyers and progressive Islamic scholars. I don't see any of the articles as being prejudicial.

"In fact, it is meant to encourage debates about the Islamic religion," she was quoted as saying.