Pak Lah wrote foreword in banned book
(TMI) – A BOOK on Islamic law in Malaysia, which contains a foreword by a former prime minister and later launched by a senior Barisan Nasional MP, is among the books banned by the Home Ministry, citing “prejudicial to public order”.
Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is known for his expertise on Islam, had written the foreword to the book, Breaking the Silence: Voices of Moderation – Islam in a Constitutional Democracy, published by the G25 group.
G25 is made up of former senior Malay-Muslim civil servants, who have spoken out on conflicts between shariah and civil laws, and called for reforms to how religious authorities function.
The book, which had been on store shelves for about two years, was launched by Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in 2015, but was banned by the Home Ministry on June 14.
The ban by the ministry, which Abdullah himself used to helm, has perplexed G25 members, who are now seeking a judicial review to challenge the ban.
“Abdullah would not have written a foreword to a book or be at all involved in any work that could be deemed prejudicial to public order,” G25 member Zainuddin Abdul Bahri told The Malaysian Insight.
