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Don't Give a Toot to the Malaysian Internal Security Ministry

Reader comment on item: John Esposito and Karen Armstrong – Banned in Malaysia

Submitted by Marco Hiirata (Malaysia), Feb 13, 2008 at 12:51

Dear readers, as a Malaysian I can tell that not all Malaysians agree with the government's policies, especially on integrity, transparency, human rights, free speech on so forth. When it comes to the filtering process here in Malaysia, it is really of personal taste of whoever-is-the-decison-maker sitting on the chair.

We Malaysian are a stuck-up society yet to mature. The situation is really a contrast when you take a boat ride to Indonesia where openness is everywhere. I can buy books of all sorts in Jakarta. Many of the Islamic books banned in Malaysia can be purchased there. Perhaps it is their ideology of Pancasila; I dont know.

I have yet to read Esposito's banned book but I managed to borrow "Battle for God: Fundamentalism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam" from my brother in law who is Prof at a university here. BTW, I have also read Satanic Verses. Nothing much to it really. Mild fiction to me. Doesnt lose my faith reading it.

So please dont get too hype if our Malaysian government ban books here. We are able to get it in many other ways. And trust me, we dont give a toot about this cuckoo government anyway.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (14) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Karen Armstrong is a wannabe historian [66 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 13, 2008 18:58120158
Don't Give a Toot to the Malaysian Internal Security Ministry [200 words]Marco HiirataFeb 13, 2008 12:51120113
full List of books banned [253 words]Ipnat DrosotFeb 9, 2008 11:48119849
Malaysia looks to be a very dangerous and obscure nation [117 words]YnnatchkahFeb 2, 2008 17:18119469
Malaysia is not yet dangerous [202 words]John BastileFeb 3, 2008 00:59119469
Book ban: The 'two faces' of Islam Hadhari [460 words]Ismail Che YahayaFeb 11, 2008 14:51119469
Dear Messrs. Ynnatchkah & Bastile [680 words]Marco HiirataFeb 13, 2008 21:42119469
nurturing prejudices [157 words]bibliobibuliMar 10, 2008 00:26119469
You replied against prejudices with your own prejudices [547 words]John BastileApr 8, 2008 21:58119469
Well deserved [14 words]VijayFeb 1, 2008 04:39119427
Are you sure they banned a book ? ? ? [211 words]Phil GreendJul 17, 2007 15:32103862
Research Armstrong's doctrine before banning [311 words]Tommy PetersJun 28, 2007 21:28101906
Is there a reason? [38 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MuslihoonJul 16, 2006 04:1649779
Well deserved [47 words]VijayJul 14, 2006 06:0049621

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