Malaysia stops sale of kids' book containing 'obscene' images

Published on Feb 22, 2012

PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Home Ministry has ordered an immediate stop of the sale of the Where Did I Come From book.

The Ministry's deputy secretary-general Datuk Abdul Rahim Mohd Radzi said the ministry had started studying the content of the book. 'Until a decision is made, book stores are required to stop selling it. If the contents are found have elements that could harm the morals of the community, we will ban it,' he said in a statement.

Mr Abdul Rahim said the ministry was taking action under Section 7, Subsection 1 of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984. Umno Youth Community Complaints Bureau chairman Datuk Muhd Khairun Aseh said the wing received many complaints from the public regarding the matter. 'The book was easily available at the children's section at several book stores but the degree of obscenity inside the book was too much,' he said.

The book, Mr Muhd Khairun added, featured cartoon illustrations of naked male and female bodies complete with genitalia.