Islamic Censorship in Malaysia

[al Haj]

AlJazeera.net/english :

'Un-Islamic' book trial opens in Malaysia
Bookstore raids raise concerns about the rule of law in the southeast
Asian state.
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Features
'Un-Islamic' book trial opens in Malaysia
Bookstore raids raise concerns about the rule of law in the southeast
Asian state.
Kate Mayberry Last Modified: 06 Aug 2012 10:36

Since 1971, 1,517 books and other publications have been banned in Malaysia [AP]

It was a quiet Wednesday evening towards the end of May when
Malaysia's religious authorities paid a surprise visit to the Borders
bookshop in one of Kuala Lumpur's more upscale shopping malls.

The three officers from the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs
Department, better known by its Malay language acronym JAWI, were
courteous but brought with them 20 other men. They milled around the
shop, browsing the shelves and taking pictures on their mobile phones.
The officers asked the employees whether the shop was selling Allah,
Liberty and Love, the newly released book by New York-based Canadian
academic Irshad Manji.

Understandably, the staff, dealing with a raid by the religious
authorities for the first time, was nervous. They lead the men to the
shelf where the offending book was on display. After confiscating a
couple of copies, the officials asked for the manager.

Stephen Fung, a Malaysian Chinese and non-Muslim, who buys the books
and distributes them to the six Borders branches in and around the
capital, was the first to speak to the men. But then they asked to see
the most senior Muslim member of staff. The store manager, Nik Raina
Nik Abdul Aziz, a 36-year-old Malay woman planning for her wedding and
in the midst of a marriage course at her local mosque, happened to be
on shift.

Accusations

"There was no fatwa, no communication, not even so much as a phone
call. Nik Raina is being persecuted because she's a Muslim."

- Yau Su Peng

"They singled out the Malay women and asked them if they were
married," Borders Books' Chief Operating Officer Yau Su Peng told Al
Jazeera. "Those who said they were single were then accused of being a
lesbian. Some were in tears."

Nik Raina and Fung were then ordered to appear at JAWI's offices the
next day. When they did so, Nik Raina's lawyer was turned away,
denying her a right to counsel that's enshrined in Malaysia's
constitution.

All this happened even though at the time, on May 23, Allah, Liberty
and Love wasn't actually banned.

Some groups had expressed disquiet


Malaysia has difficulties to find new identity: About Half of Nation
is Muslim, other Half is two Parts bout of Chinese without Religion
and Hindu-Tradition, People are borne in their Traditions and usually
keep it, even they do not know, what it is ? --------DEUTSCH:
Malaysia ist zur Haelfte Muslim, ein Viertel Chinesen und ein Viertel
Indische Tradition, Durch den Saudischen Einfluss nimmt der Ruf nach
Scharia, islamischem Gesetzt zu und die anderen Bevoelkerungsteile
schauen erstaunt zu, manchmal mag es zu Vorfaellen wie oben kommen,
ZENSUR, doch wer bestimmt, was zensiert werden Soll?

--
live is short, after death is long

[al Haj]