Aye. It continues.
It's been sometime now since bloggers have launched a campaign against books that have been banned in Malaysia. The whole saga is a bit complex (there appears to be a few lists floating with different requirements) and it appears that Spongebob Squarepants, Vagina Monologues and Midnight's Children will cause mental depravation (and other various moral problems) to polite Malaysian society.
My friend Toro has quite another opinion about this whole thingamajig.
'Really no need for outragelah. The government-fella is really being clever. Now everbody is going to beg, borrow or steal a copy of any Salman Rushdie book. Maybe they will even start reading something like Things Fall Apart.'
'Don't you see?' continues Toro. 'It's the best reading campaign run by the government. Ever.'
Hmmm...does make sense in a way.
It's been sometime now since bloggers have launched a campaign against books that have been banned in Malaysia. The whole saga is a bit complex (there appears to be a few lists floating with different requirements) and it appears that Spongebob Squarepants, Vagina Monologues and Midnight's Children will cause mental depravation (and other various moral problems) to polite Malaysian society.
My friend Toro has quite another opinion about this whole thingamajig.
'Really no need for outragelah. The government-fella is really being clever. Now everbody is going to beg, borrow or steal a copy of any Salman Rushdie book. Maybe they will even start reading something like Things Fall Apart.'
'Don't you see?' continues Toro. 'It's the best reading campaign run by the government. Ever.'
Hmmm...does make sense in a way.
8 comments:
hahaha... these things never made sense to me anyway. conspiracy? who knows. in this world, anything could happen.
Toro has a point. A very very good one. In fact, I'm quite compelled to beg, borrow or steal a few books on that list just to satiate my curiosity and have a laugh at the government's expense.:)
May: I agree with you entirely my dear.
Starlight: Let's make a point to do that-read more books from the banned list.
there's absolutely no freedom in our country...
yes, good point. i am very happy to see people picking up subversive books ...
Toro's right. I remember purchasing a copy of Satanic Verses in Melbourne, bundling it inside my clothes on the way back so that Customs wouldn't find it, reading it, didn't see what all the hoo-haa was about back then, and then next thing I know, someone steals the book from my house! Well, hopefully the book is making its rounds among the curious readers in Malaysia, albeit fiendishly. :p
It makes no (good) sense to ban books. God knows we Malaysian don't read enough and now banned?
tsk tsk tsk
talk about control
Zewt: Well, I wont go that far but I suppose its a process that we must strive for.
Sharon: Yes, a clarion call from the literary doyen!
Blabs: True, true. Often some of the banned books are not that great but it is the forbidden fruit that is so tantalising.
Frankensteina: Couldn't agree more.
Post a Comment