Recently, Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) announced that they have banned 3 publications entitled ‘The Tale of Steven’, ‘Jacob’s Room To Choose’ and ‘Aku’, as they deemed the books to be harmful to Malaysian morals as 2 of the books contained elements of a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) lifestyle.
In a statement released by the ministry, the Prohibition Order issued stipulates that printing, importing, producing, reproducing, publishing, selling, circulating, distributing or owning these said publications is strictly prohibited in Malaysia.
“All 2 publications have content that may harm morals. The publication ‘Aku’ was found to have obscene and immoral content that could influence personal behaviour and is against the values of decency in Malaysian society.”
“The Tale of Steven and Jacob’s Room To Choose were deemed to promote a LGBT lifestyle, which is seen as a threat to the noble values taught by religion and Eastern society all this time,” it said.
“Jacob’s Room to Choose” is about a character, Jacob, who is chased out of the boys’ bathroom in school. “The boys think he looks like a girl because of the way he is dressed,” says the authors’ website.
On the other hand, “The Tale of Steven” is a more abstract story about identity and finding your own way.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry said that the government is committed to preventing the spread of elements that are harmful to morals of the community which can indirectly contribute to the erosion of races and the nation.
Slammed by activists and NGOs
The decision to ban the two children’s books for alleged LGBT elements have not gone down well with local activists and NGOs who slammed the ministry and the government.
According to Benar News, lawyer and prominent rights activist Siti Kasim said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar should remember who voted for him.
“It looks like Anwar is pandering to the conservatives. He forgets that those who voted him are not conservatives”, Siti Kasim told BenarNews.
Meanwhile, Josef Benedict, a researcher with CIVICUS, an alliance of civil society organizations dedicated to citizen action, described the ban as “a shameful act”.
“Looks like the Anwar Ibrahim government is no different from previous administrations in banning books. (The) Malaysian society is fully capable of deciding, without the government telling them what they can or can’t read.”
What do you think of the decision to ban the books? Let us know in the comments.
Also read: “We’ll never recognise secularism, communism & the LGBT” – Anwar Refutes Claims by Certain Parties
