Share |

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Hearing continues on ban of Sister's book

My Sinchew
KUALA LUMPUR: Hearing at the High Court here resumes Wednesday (24 June) regarding the ban on a book published by the Sisters in Islam (SIS) which is alleged to have caused suspicion and public anxiety.

The application for leave to apply for a judicial review to lift the ban was brought by SIS but the government is asking the court to strike out their application.

The hearing is before Judicial Commisioner Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof at 11.00 a.m. at the Special Powers and Appellate Division of the Kuala Lumpur High Court at Jalan Duta. SIS is represented by Mssers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and K. Shanmuga.

The Home Ministry gazzetted the ban a year ago on basis that the book published by SIS - Muslim Women and the Challenges of Islamic Extremism, Building Bridges Between Southeast Asia and the Middle East - was prejudicial to public order.

However, SIS fought back and insisted that even based on JAKIM guidelines, its book does not contain any material that could be regarded is prejudicial to public order.

But the ministry stood its ground and declared that the book, among other things, “is inclined towards confusing the Muslim community especially women and attempted to interpret statements about Islam according to the opinion of the author herself and it is feared this would confuse the Muslim community especially those who have shallow religious beliefs”.

After several months of deadlock, the Sisters in Islam filed an application for leave for a judicial review to lift the ban at the High Court last December. (MySinchew)

No comments: