A legal analysis: the obscene laws in Malaysia in the publication of books / Quratulain Atiqah Norzahirul Anuar … [et al.]

The basic idea behind this honours project paper is to identify the conflict between the right of author to express their ideas and the power of publisher to restrict and prevent the usage of obscene language and words in book publication. There is no standard or guidelines laid down by the Malaysian Law. Except for the book publication, there is already law governing internet contents, songs, newspapers and films. Generally in Malaysia, there are few legislations to control literature publication such as the Penal Code, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and these laws may impose restrictions when necessary on the ground of public interest and morality. What is prohibited is actually the publishing and selling of obscene materials, however, despite all those provisions, there is no specific law that restraint the writer from producing obscene immoral literature. Furthermore, in determining whether such literature is considered as moral or not, it depends on the reader's judgment since the definition of morality and obscenity differs from each society and religion.