==> Pls visit new site at http://malaysia-today.net/ <==

Since I was making my weekly (expensive!) pilgrimage to Kino anyway that afternoon, I decided to check out the status of the book, and discovered, yes, that the KDN (Home Ministry) officials had make their rounds and confiscated all the copies of the book, telling the bookshop that they were going to investigate it further and that in the meantime the store was not allowed to sell copies of the book.

Today I learned that this ban applies to all Farish's books which the store is not allowed to bring in until further notice (although there are still copies of the Malay translation of Di Balik Malaysia published by ZI Publications still on the shelves).

Things that I don't understand :

Why did the officers decide to take the copies? The book has been on sale since 2005! If it was so controversial why couldn't the KDN have investigated it back then? The book has a valid ISBN from the National library, the copies weren't hiding anywhere, Farish has a website and has made public appearances to talk about the issues discussed in the book.

READ MORE HERE: http://thebookaholic.blogspot.com/

Comments (11)

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written by ylcc, November 27, 2008 17:56:38

I am heading towards Kinokuniya Singapore ... anyone wants to "tumpang"? ooops .. they are going to wait for me at the check-points!!! The more one forbids, the more attention is focused on the issue, and the more interested people will be ....

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written by OilMan, November 27, 2008 18:37:13

I have read the book (borrowed from a friend) sometime ago and now I cannot understand what the fuss is all about. Can anyone highlight what the issue is with regard to this book?

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written by citizenmy, November 27, 2008 19:06:33

I know nothing about this book. Now KDN had banned the sales, I am very curious, and will definitely get a copy of the book somehow, and read it.

Thanks KDN, when u guys ban something, more people actual will read it. Its like free publicity from Government.

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written by Fuminari, November 27, 2008 19:15:30

in a way,they are making farish as hot as our RPK.

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written by ssathia, November 27, 2008 19:24:28

Yoga is dangerous because it might cause people to think on their own, especially if one stands on his or her head and gets extra oxygen. But if people do not stand on their head, then it would be dangerous for them to read Farish's books because Farish Noor's books obviously require a lot of oxygen in our brain to process. Can you imagine the havoc his books can cause especially among the gentle minds that are not used to working as so carefully nurtured by today's education system? Who is going to be responsible if large number of people start showing evidence of brain damage like the way some of our over-learned Members of Parliament do in Parliament? Good job KDN. Keep it up. Farish Noor's books may actually cause Malaysians to think and thinking is dangerous for us. Perhaps another Fatwa such as the one on Yoga is in order. Please save us from Farish Noor. We know we can count on you to protect us people.

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written by borneoman, November 27, 2008 20:13:21

even knowledge must be pro umno nowadays.bastard umno led bn you will pay for your evil deeds soon.

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written by amoker, November 27, 2008 20:42:04

It is not the book. It is the person. There is a great movement to humiliate people like Haris and Malik as liberals. So, they are showing off their power and try to give concerted message that these people are dangerous.

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written by Angela Ooi, November 27, 2008 22:16:29

I bought this book sometime back and have not read past a few pages. This ban will give me the incentive to find the time to finish it.

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written by renoir, November 27, 2008 23:03:41

Well, knowing the educational level of our brownshirts, there's a chance that they thought the book was referring to Khairy's alleged love interest (Maya Karin) as in "From Maya's paha to Putrajaya." But it's also possible that those guys have been paid by our sneaky Farish to create an incident so that his Derridaish books could sell. It isn't as if the typical Ah Kow, Ahmad, and Samy could understand works that float into aporia, the kind that condemns the reader to figure out whether there's a relationship between "From Majapahit to Putrajaya" and "Debbie Does Dallas."

But then, in this topsy turvy world, where the serenity of yogic exercises is up for controversy, where peaceful vigils could get violently broken up in the name of preserving peace, who knows what motivated our overpaid, underworked bio-scanners?

Nothing makes sense anymore in bolehland. Nothing needs to be deconstructed because everything has been deconstructed the UMNO way. Eat your heart out, Derrida.

LChuah

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written by Proud_2b_Malaysian, November 27, 2008 23:45:31

This is the KDN's public marketing support for Farish Noor. In Malaysia, banned books pick up in their sales virtually overnight. In this case, after 3 years in public circulation too. Perhaps, KDN felt that the book sales was a bit sluggish and now the ban will spur new readership and interests in Farish Noor.

Is this a good time for Farish Noor to say thank you to KDN?

http://proud2bmalaysian.*********.com/

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written by evaangel, November 28, 2008 08:35:15

Just ordered my copy of the book from http://www.selectbooks.com.sg
Note that they also stock May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969. (Been reading that that book is banned too but I saw it in MPH Penang in March this year)

Didn't know about the book until the ban so... thanks for that KDN! (Mabbe Farish should pay them some komisen I dunno )

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