KUALA LUMPUR: The government will respect the court's ruling to lift the ban on the comic book about the Belt and Road Initiative authored by a former DAP member, says Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said any party was free to express their opinion on the court decision. However, the government has decided to abide by it.
"Whether an individual agrees or not, that's their right; we (the government) are guided by the court's decision," Fahmi said after officiating the Huawei Malaysia Supplier Ecosystem Convention 2024 here.
He was responding to the criticism from several Umno leaders regarding the decision to lift the ban.
On Tuesday, the Home Ministry lifted the ban imposed on former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau's comic book, titled Belt and Road Initiative for Win-Winism.
It was initially banned in October 2019 for promoting communism and socialism.
It was reported that the order to lift the ban on the book was signed on Aug 6.
On Dec 8, 2022, Putrajaya failed to get leave from the Federal Court to reinstate a ban on the comic book.
In response to the lifting of the bam, Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi had said the party must object to the Home Ministry's decision, while its Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh had urged the government to seek a review of the apex court's decision denying Putrajaya leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling that overturned the ban on the book.