HOME MINISTER CALLS FOR STERN ACTION ON BOOK COVER
Coat-of-arms featuring naked child, two tigers with human faces and crocodile comes under fire
HOME Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin has instructed the police to open investigations and mete out stern action over a book cover that allegedly insults the country’s coat-of-arms, or Jata Negara.
In a post uploaded on his Facebook account on Sunday, Hamzah pointed out that there were provisions in the law that stated it was an offence for anyone to misuse, misinterpret and misrepresent any symbol identical
or bearing a resemblance to the country and government’s official insignia.
“Section 3(1)(a) of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 clearly states it is an offence for anyone to copy a symbol that is similar to that of the Federal Government’s
Jata Negara.
“I have instructed the police to investigate and take immediate stern action.
“The government will not compromise towards any party, group or individuals who take such unpatriotic and irresponsible actions.”
On Sunday, Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki urged the Home Ministry to take action against the author, publisher and editor of a book that allegedly ridiculed the Jata Negara.
Asyraf stated in a Facebook post that the book, titled Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance, And Hope
in New Malaysia, should be banned for being offensive and disrespectful to the country.
The cover of the book is said to bear an image which has a striking resemblance to the country’s coat-of-arms.
It features a naked child and two tigers with human faces on either side over a crocodile.
“The book’s cover shows the author and publisher’s blatant disrespect for our country’s coatof-arms and stern action must be taken for any intent on insulting the official symbol of the country,” said Asyraf.
Many Netizens were also horrified by the book, with a few of them calling for action to be taken against the author and publisher for insulting the country.