Govts ban book for different reasons. Before I elaborate further, I suggest checking out this and this.
The latter event happened like almost a decade ago. I suppose Malaysia is always a bit lagging behind when it comes to catching up with the latest knowledge. Which is why certain subjects that have been topics of debate since the dawn of the Internet in the developed countries (and even as recently as ten years back, in the last century) only reached the Asian soils, like, in this century? However, one must remember that the motivation, however flimsy or contradictory, is different. Malaysia has always been afraid of 'contentious' religious discourse (this perception is of course subjective, as those opposing the ban will remind us) which they fear will rile the majority of the mostly unthinking followers, or worse, make them start thinking and challenge the authorities of the ecclessiastes/ulamaks.
If you do a google on banned books, you will realise that there are loads of links that show US to be the biggest perpetrator when it comes to banning books. But, if you can find news with justifications as to why the Malaysian govt decides to ban certain books (or even its closest neighbour, Singapore, for that matter), the reasons given are entirely unrelated. But the core of reasoning is this: throughout the history of media, many self-appointed society vanguards have an inner need to shape society according to their personal utopia, however oxymoronic or contradictory their utopias may be.
IF you find any more links to stories like this, especially with regard to SEA, please post them in the comment box. Thanks!
