KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — The Home Ministry rescinded its 2019 ban on the comic book co-authored by former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau, popularly called “Superman Hew”, to follow the Federal Court’s decision on the matter, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
The government spokesman said that the lifting of the ban was not because of a government directive, and showed the executive’s respect for the judiciary and the rule of law.
“Whether as individuals we agree or not, it is their own right, but we are guided by the court’s ruling,” he told reporters at the Huawei Malaysia Supplier Ecosystem Convention here at MITEC.
He also confirmed the matter was not brought up during the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The revocation was carried in a federal government gazette dated August 12, based on an order signed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail dated on August 6.
The revocation follows the federal government’s failed legal bid to reinstate its ban on Hew’s book after the Federal Court in 2022 dismissed the home ministry’s bid to appeal and upheld an appellate court ruling that quashed the ban.
Hew had co-authored a book titled “Belt and Road Initiative for Win-Winism” published in 2019 by the Asia Comic Cultural Museum and available in three languages — Malay, English and Mandarin.
The book was released to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia.
The Home Ministry banned all editions of the book that same year, under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act on grounds that its contents could be detrimental to public order and disturb the thoughts of the people.
