Hadis books seized by Home Ministry?
Arfa'eza A AzizPublished: Apr 21, 2005 6:50 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
PAS claims that a book penned by its president Abdul Hadi Awang is now a target of the Home Affairs Ministry (KDN).
PAS claims that a book penned by its president Abdul Hadi Awang is now a target of the Home Affairs Ministry (KDN).
According to Dr Syed Azman Syed Nawawi, Abdul Hadi's political secretary, the party has received complaints from members in Malacca, Negri Sembilan and Terengganu on alleged unlawful seizures of the book entitled Hadharah Islamiyyah bukan Islam Hadhari (Islamic Civilisation, Not Civilised Islam).
"We have been told that KDN officers had approached several bookstores in the three states and taken the books off the display shelves. We don't know how many had been seized but we are monitoring the situation closely," he said when contacted.
The party, Syed Azman added, would file an official complaint to the ministry "because we believe there is nothing in the book that is harmful to the public."
The claims could not be officially confirmed as Internal Security Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Abu Seman Yusop - when approached by malaysiakini in Parliament yesterday - said he was not aware of the KDN action.
However, PAS Setiu Youth chief Shahrizukirnain Abd Kadir insisted that the bullying tactics occurred as he had personally witnessed an incident where three uniformed officers who claimed to present KDN attempted to seize copies of the book displayed in a bookshop in Besut, Terengganu.
"It happened a few days ago when I was at the bookshop in Jertih, Besut. Three uniformed officers introduced themselves as from KDN and wanted to seize the books," he said when contacted.
Discredit Islam Hadhari
According to Shahrizukirnain, the officers said that the book is in the process of being banned as it discredits the government's effort in promoting Islam Hadhari.
Syed Azman, who is also PAS central working committee member said he believed "those who feel threatened by the popularity of the book" could be behind attempts to seize the books.
"They felt threatened and uneasy as the book is distributed widely in the country. It is well sought after and pirated copies are also being sold to the public."
He said to date the book had been re-printed eight times involving about 25,000 copies.
Commenting on the matter, PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub questioned the legality of such actions as there was no official decision to ban the book.
"There is nothing to stop people from buying or reading the book. It's legal reading material. I think all these are done to scare people (from reading the book)," he said, adding that he would not be surprised if the acts were prompted by Umno people.
He said the fears against the book could be because it discusses issues relating to Islam Hadhari where Abdul Hadi had explained the true meaning behind the concept.
"In the book, the president also attempts to correct the terms that had been wrongly used and the haphazard concept of Islam Hadhari promoted by the government," he said.
"If you disagree with the contents of the book, just write one to counter the arguments. These kind of (bullying) tactics in seizing the books would not benefit anyone."
According to Dr Syed Azman Syed Nawawi, Abdul Hadi's political secretary, the party has received complaints from members in Malacca, Negri Sembilan and Terengganu on alleged unlawful seizures of the book entitled Hadharah Islamiyyah bukan Islam Hadhari (Islamic Civilisation, Not Civilised Islam).
"We have been told that KDN officers had approached several bookstores in the three states and taken the books off the display shelves. We don't know how many had been seized but we are monitoring the situation closely," he said when contacted. The party, Syed Azman added, would file an official complaint to the ministry "because we believe there is nothing in the book that is harmful to the public."
The claims could not be officially confirmed as Internal Security Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Abu Seman Yusop - when approached by malaysiakini in Parliament yesterday - said he was not aware of the KDN action.
However, PAS Setiu Youth chief Shahrizukirnain Abd Kadir insisted that the bullying tactics occurred as he had personally witnessed an incident where three uniformed officers who claimed to present KDN attempted to seize copies of the book displayed in a bookshop in Besut, Terengganu.
"It happened a few days ago when I was at the bookshop in Jertih, Besut. Three uniformed officers introduced themselves as from KDN and wanted to seize the books," he said when contacted.
Discredit Islam Hadhari
According to Shahrizukirnain, the officers said that the book is in the process of being banned as it discredits the government's effort in promoting Islam Hadhari. Syed Azman, who is also PAS central working committee member said he believed "those who feel threatened by the popularity of the book" could be behind attempts to seize the books.
"They felt threatened and uneasy as the book is distributed widely in the country. It is well sought after and pirated copies are also being sold to the public."
He said to date the book had been re-printed eight times involving about 25,000 copies.
Commenting on the matter, PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub questioned the legality of such actions as there was no official decision to ban the book.
"There is nothing to stop people from buying or reading the book. It's legal reading material. I think all these are done to scare people (from reading the book)," he said, adding that he would not be surprised if the acts were prompted by Umno people. He said the fears against the book could be because it discusses issues relating to Islam Hadhari where Abdul Hadi had explained the true meaning behind the concept.
"In the book, the president also attempts to correct the terms that had been wrongly used and the haphazard concept of Islam Hadhari promoted by the government," he said.
"If you disagree with the contents of the book, just write one to counter the arguments. These kind of (bullying) tactics in seizing the books would not benefit anyone."
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