CONTROVERSIAL writer and bookstore owner Amir Hamzah Akal Ali, better known as Benz Ali, is still waiting for an update from the authorities after his bookstore was raided by the Home Ministry more than a month ago.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insight, he said he has not been informed of the status of the investigation and the status of the two books confiscated by officers during the raid.

“Until today, I have not been informed of the progress of the investigation. No one from the ministry contacted me about the raid; I have not received any official letter on the status of the investigation.

“Basically, there’s no update at all and I am still waiting,” he said today.

In early August, Home Ministry officials raided Toko Buku Rakyat, a bookstore owned by Benz in Kuala Lumpur, and confiscated two books – a Malay translation of “Karl Marx: The Revolutionary as Educator” by Robin Smalls and Benz’s own book “Koleksi Puisi Masturbasi”. 

Both books are not on the government ban list.

Benz was reported as saying the authorities took one copy of each book, citing the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

On social media platform Goodreads, “Karl Marx: The Revolutionary as Educator” is described as a book about the German-born philosopher, identifying him as a radical thinker and examining his educational ideas.

Meanwhile, Benz’s book, whose title translates as “Collection of Masturbatory Poems”, is described as a collection of poetry referring not to the sex act but to self-gratifying intellectual discourse.

Benz added that he believed his own book would be banned by the government. 

He also referred to the Court of Appeal’s decision today to reinstate the Home Ministry’s ban on the book “Gay is OK! A Christian Perspective” by overturning a big court decision last year.

The government’s lawyers had argued that the ban was lawful after the Kuala Lumpur High Court in February allowed a judicial review of the ban in February. 

The ban was lifted to allow the author Ngeo Boon Lin and publisher Gerakbudaya Enterprise to sell and distribute the book in Malaysia.

“I think my book too will be banned soon by the government. The possibility is very high,” Benz said.

Previously, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the two books confiscated from Benz’s bookshop would be returned if checks found that the books did not break existing laws.

He said the return of the books would depend on the content’s compliance with laws under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

“The act states that seizures can be carried out to conduct research, reviews, and analyses of materials to determine if they contradict aspects provided for under the law.

“If our findings show that the books’ contents do not affect public peace or cause any discomfort, then we will return it to him (Benz),” Saifuddin said. – September 25, 2023.