INSTITUTIONAL reforms would not be realised if the administration practises bureaucracy, book publisher Chong Ton Sin said.

The Gerakbudaya founder told The Malaysian Insight Putrajaya would continue to investigate reports of book publishers deemed controversial, adding that a recent raid on his office was not unusual.

Last week, the Home Ministry seized eight Chinese-language books from the independent bookstore, citing the presence of “communist elements”.

The confiscated books were reportedly not included in the list of publications banned under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984.

News portal Malaysiakini reported the incident occurred during what was initially perceived as a routine inspection, with three Home Ministry officers visiting the Petaling Jaya bookstore.

“It is not surprising, (the book raid). Under the current government or whatever government, as long as they use the old practices, the same old officers and the same bureaucracy, reform is not going to happen,” Chong said.

“They will continue to come and inspect and take away any book they feel is a threat, no matter how we try to explain.”

Chong, better known as Pak Chong, said things could be fixed if the Home Ministry dissolved the department tasked to conduct inspections on publishers.

“Get rid of the department, only then can we see real reform. But as long as it exists, they will do their job. They have been programmed in that way. I am not surprised,” he said.

Pak Chong, a former detainee under the Internal Security Act 1960, said the confiscated books were all memoirs written by an ex-communist.

“The books were memoirs, nothing more. (There is) nothing about how to take up the arms struggle or to launch a revolution.”

The eight books, which were written in Chinese, are:

1. Forest, Our Mother! – A compilation of the posthumous works of comrade Xiao Peng, a member of the Malayan Communist Party (CPM) central committee

2. Period of Civilian Revolutionary War (5) – The successful end of the 20-month anti-encirclement and suppression campaign of the CPM

3. Period of the Civil Revolutionary War (1) – Silence and hard work

4. Postwar Peace Period (3) – The Secret of the Traitor Wright Incident

5. Mountain Flowers are Particularly Fragrant – Tropical jungle, battlefield whereabouts

6. Joining the Army, Going Abroad, Border Areas, and Going Down the Mountain: Memoirs of Comrade Hong Sheng, a Military Cadre

7. Anti-Japanese War Period (2) – The glorious history of the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army

8. The Anti-Japanese War Period (3) – Continuation of materials during the anti-Japanese war

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail defended the ministry seizure of eight books from Gerakbudaya, allegedly containing communist content.

He said it was part of the ministry’s due diligence.

When asked why the ministry continued to “seize” books, Saifuddin said the connotation used for the authorities’ action was rather aggressive and did not align with their real intention.

“The term is ‘take’, because Gerakbudaya also mentioned enforcement officers acted politely during the confiscation. I thought I would choose softer words. Words like ‘seize’ are considered aggressive and rough.”

Saifuddin said the ministry would investigate whether the books in question truly contained communist elements.

“At the end of that examination, if the content does not display the (communist) elements, they will be returned,” he said.

No updates

Controversial author Amir Hamzah Akal Ali, who had his bookstore raided by the Home Ministry a few months ago, said there was no update from the authorities about his seized books.

Better known as Benz Ali, the writer said the officers have not notified him of the status of his case.

“No update so far although it has been months. They have not called or emailed me,” he said.

In August, Home Ministry officers raided Benz Ali’s Toko Buku Rakyat and confiscated two books – a Malay translation of “Karl Marx: The Revolutionary as Educator” by Robin Smalls, and Benz Ali’s own book “Koleksi Puisi Masturbasi”. Both books were not on the government’s ban list.

Benz Ali reportedly said the authorities took one copy of each book, citing the PPPA 1984.

His seized book, whose title translates to “Collection of Masturbatory Poems”, was described as prose referring not to the sexual act, but instead the practice of self-gratifying intellectual discourse. – December 6, 2023.