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'Valentine's date': Home Ministry 'visits' Gerakbudaya for banned books
The Home Ministry paid a visit to the independent bookstore Gerakbudaya in Petaling Jaya this afternoon in search of three books that were banned by the government last week.
In an Instagram post, the shop well-known for selling leftist books sarcastically described the checks as "our Valentine's date" as it took place during the annual celebration.
"They are looking for 'buku haram'...
Summary
A team of Home Ministry officers searches Gerakbudaya bookstore in Petaling Jaya.
A store employee says the officers were looking for three book titles the government recently banned.
The Home Ministry paid a visit to the independent bookstore Gerakbudaya in Petaling Jaya this afternoon in search of three books that were banned by the government last week.
In an Instagram post, the shop well-known for selling leftist books sarcastically described the checks as "our Valentine's date" as it took place during the annual celebration.
"They are looking for 'buku haram' (forbidden books), but they couldn't find any. Do you think we actually have them?" Gerakbudaya asked.
According to Gerakbudaya staff member Raymond Chong, a team of three officers from the Home Ministry came to the store at about noon before they started searching for the three banned titles.
"Our staff members gave full cooperation to the team. They were searching for the three recently banned books, including the one by Benz Ali.
"The officers could not find any as we didn't have them. They spent less than an hour and left without seizing anything," he told Malaysiakini.
On Feb 8, the Home Ministry stated that the government had prohibited three books deemed potentially harmful to public morality in Malaysia.
The three banned titles are "My Shadow Is Purple" by Scott Stuart, "Koleksi Puisi Masturbasi" by Amir Hamzah Akal Ali (Benz Ali), and "All That’s Left In The World" by Erik J Brown.
The ban was officially gazetted under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (Act 301) and took effect on Jan 21 and 22.
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