KUALA LUMPUR – Indonesia has lauded Malaysia’s decision to ban the graphic novel ‘When I was a Kid 3’ following protests from an Indonesian non-governmental organisation over the book’s depiction of allegedly unfair criticism of an Indonesian domestic worker employed in Malaysia.
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Lalu Muhamad Iqbal told Antara News the term “monkey” that was used in two pages of the book is degrading and does not serve to educate when used to describe the country’s citizens.
The ban by Malaysia was stated in a federal gazette published by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on September 25 under the Printing Presses and Publications (Control of Undesirable Publications) (No.4) Order 2023.
The gazette, signed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on September 15, states that the minister made the order under subsection 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The law stipulates that if the minister is satisfied that a publication contains any element which is in any manner prejudicial to or likely to be prejudicial to public order, morality or security, he has the discretion to prohibit the circulation of said publication.
The document details that the book was written by Cheeming Boey and published by Grey Pigeon Sdn Bhd in English.
Taking to Instagram, Boey said despite writing the book with the purest of intentions, there would be a chance that it could offend others.
“I worked so hard on all my books man, I really, really did. You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I’m not ready to be that villain yet.
“If you are new to my works, I’m sure you will have lots of opinions about me because of the headline, but stay on a while and let me change your mind :).”
In June, it was reported that dozens of Indonesian protesters from a group known as Corong Rakyat had gathered outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta, demanding authorities stop the print and sale of the comic book in bookstore chains in Malaysia.
The group had also urged authorities to investigate the motive behind the story and illustrations by Boey, 45, who is said to be a Singaporean-born Malaysian citizen, and now resides in the United States. – October 1, 2023