The Kuala Lumpur High Court today fixed Jan 24 to hear a preliminary objection to an author's application for a judicial review to have the ban on his book 'The March to Putrajaya: Malaysia's New Era Is At Hand' lifted.

Justice Rohana set the date in chambers following an application by senior federal counsel Yusuf Noor Hisham Ismail, who represented the home minister, inspector-general of police, ASP Zul Azhar Mokhtar, chief inspector Nahar Yamen, ASP Mohd Fahmi Daraman Sah and the government.

The author Yong Thye Chong, 72, who uses the pseudonym Kim Quek, was represented by lawyer K Shanmuga.

In his application for the judicial review, filed on Nov 3 last year, Yong and his publisher Oriengroup Sdn Bhd are seeking a declaration that the confiscation of 33 copies of his book at several bookstores, namely Popular book store at Megamall Kuantan (20 copies), Melaka Shopping Centre in Ayer Keroh (four copies), Popular book store at Cheras Leisure Mall (6 copies) and the Koperasi Kedai Buku Universiti Malaya Bhd at Universiti Malaya (three copies) on Aug 19 was unlawful.

They are also seeking a review of the ban on the publication and import of the book.

In the application, Yong stated that the 361-page book was a collection of several features on current world political issues and the Malaysian government that had been posted on the Internet from 2006 until last year.

He claimed that the confiscation of the books was ultra vires because it violated his freedom of speech.

- Bernama