A publication ban has been imposed on three books, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ and ‘Fifty Shades Freed’, by EL James, according to the Home Ministry.

Its Publication and Quranic Texts Control Division secretary, Hashimah Nik Jaafar, said today the publications contained elements of pornography based on explicit sexual acts without a clear positive narrative plot.

She said in a statement that the gazetting of the prohibition was in accordance with Section 7 (1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

It is an offence under Sub-section 2 of Section 8 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 if any person prints, imports, produces, reproduces, publishes, sells, manufactures, circulates, offers to sell, distributes or has in his/her possession any of the banned materials.  

Hashimah said anyone convicted of the offence would be liable to imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to RM20,000, or both.

The three English-language books are published by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc, New York.  

- Bernama