GOVT BANNED 397 BOOKS

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- The Home Ministry has issued a ban order on
397 book titles containing materials that could jeopardise public order and
obscenity from 2000 to July 2009.

Publication Control Division and Al-Quran Text Division principal assistant
secretary Abdul Razak Abdul Latif said 190 of them contained materials that
could jeopardise public order and 207 with immoral content.

He said 150 of the books were in Bahasa Malaysia followed by English (142),
Mandarin (94), Tamil (nine) and Arabic (two).

Of 22 books banned until July this year, 13 were in Bahasa Malaysia while
the rest in English, he said in a statement.

English titles banned include those published abroad like The Jewel of
Medina, The Trouble with Islam Today, Ibrahim a.s And Sarah and Qabil & Nabil.

Abdul Razak said individuals involved in printing, importing, publishing,
selling, distributing the books can be charged under the Printing Presses and
Publications Act 1984 which carries a jail term up to three years and a fine up
to RM20,000. (US$1=RM3.50)
-- BERNAMA