KUALA LUMPUR – The government is in the process of revoking the ban on three books associated with communist ideologies, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed.
The titles under review are Mao Zedong: China dalam Dunia Abad ke-20, Shamsiah Fakeh: Dari Awas ke Rejimen Ke-10, and Komrad Asi (Rejimen 10): Dalam Denyut Nihilisme Sejarah. The ministry is currently awaiting feedback from the Attorney-General’s Chambers before finalising the decision.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Saifuddin said the move follows discussion at a Cabinet meeting.
“That is what I am exercising now. However, the process requires me to first obtain feedback from the attorney-general. Only then will I exercise the power to revoke the prohibition order on a particular material,” he was quoted as saying.
He acknowledged that previous book bans had often placed him in a reactive position, dealing with issues only after enforcement actions had taken place.
“I only know about it after it becomes an issue. I do not want to be constantly ‘firefighting’. Previously, whether it was LGBT-related items, books, or other material, I was forced to act afterward,” he said.
Under the new mechanism presented to the Cabinet, reports from the Special Branch will no longer lead to immediate enforcement by the Ministry’s Enforcement and Control Division. Instead, these reports will first be reviewed by the minister.
Before any enforcement, Saifuddin has directed that the ministry engage with the publisher.
“If the list provided by the division reaches me, there are two possibilities: I approve it, or I say yes, it can be read publicly. But before enforcement, officers will meet with the publisher to hear their explanation and views first,” he explained.
The minister also indicated that the term “confiscation” will be replaced with a more measured approach emphasising two-way communication with the publishing industry.
“This is the approach I will adopt. Previously, reports went straight from the Special Branch to the enforcement division and action was taken immediately. From now on, I will review and consider the list first,” he said.
The reforms aim to address ongoing criticisms regarding freedom of expression and the right to access information in Malaysia.
Earlier, Shamsiah ’s granddaughter, Bandar Utama assemblywoman and Selangor exco member Jamaliah Jamaluddin, strongly condemned the ban, calling it baseless and harmful to intellectual freedom.
She emphasised that the memoir, published in 2004 and reprinted multiple times, chronicles a personal life journey rather than promoting extremism.
Disappointed with the decision, she said the ban unjustly restricts intellectual space and public discourse.
“Memoir Shamsiah Fakeh: Dari Awas ke Rejimen Ke-10 is essentially a personal life story rather than a text promoting extremism,” she said.
Jamaliah warned that prohibiting the memoir risks narrowing public discourse and could foster more extreme sentiments.
Highlighting its decades-long circulation, she added that the memoir never triggered extremist movements or public disorder.
She urged the Home Ministry to rescind the ban and allow the book to remain accessible as part of Malaysia’s historical record. – April 23, 2026