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Books should be shielded from govt interference, says group
Books as an important form of expression should be shielded from government interference, said a loose network of intellectuals, writers and activists on action against a book which featured an image resembling the national coat of arms on its cover.
Agora Society in a statement noted that the controversial image, which went viral, had triggered the "most conservative" among Malaysians.
Books as an important form of expression should be shielded from government interference, said a loose network of intellectuals, writers and activists on the action taken against a book which featured an image resembling the national coat of arms on its cover.
Agora Society Malaysia noted that the controversial image, which went viral, had triggered the "most conservative" among Malaysians.
"The social pressure has inadvertently translated into government interference whereby the home minister has ordered the police to begin an investigation on this matter.
"We stand in solidarity with (publisher) Gerakbudaya founder Chong Ton Sin, the book’s editor Kean Wong and its various contributors in the name of freedom of expression," the group said in a statement.
"We are of the view that books are an important form of expression and it should be shielded from government interference.
"Its criticism or opprobrium should only be confined to its contents and arguments, but not an image taken from an old oil painting," it added.
Agora Society Malaysia pointed out that another book titled "Rojak Fakta Malaysia" published in 2011 had used a similar cover of a parodied version of the coat of arms, without an outcry.
"Therefore, we have reasons to believe this latest controversy was instigated cynically to divert the public’s attention from checking this government.
"We urge the government to cease such investigations immediately which has not been an issue in the first place and instead focus on dealing with the pandemic and economic crisis that are still plaguing the country," it said.
Police had earlier today raided the Gerakbudaya bookstore in Petaling Jaya and seized 313 units of the book.
The book titled Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance, and Hope in New Malaysia came under scrutiny over the past few days due to the use of an image on the cover which was deemed insulting to the national coat of arms by several quarters.
The Home Ministry has ordered the police to probe the matter.
According to graphic designer Fahmi Reza, the image used on the book cover was an oil painting that was publicly exhibited six years ago when the country was under the BN administration.
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