"Borders outraged by victimisation of its staff"

Photo from Free Malaysia Today

A statement was released by Borders on 19 June 2012 after its store manager Nik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz was,

"...charged by Jabatan Agama Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) in the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court for distributing a book by Canadian author Irshad Manji deemed to be against the Islamic Law (Hukum Syarak) and banned in Malaysia".


This stirred quite an outrage in the community.

The following are just some of the related news, reports and opinions:

• Jawi ignores justice and fairness 
• Jawi condemned for rough tactics  
• Online support for Borders' fight
• Stop the bullying tactics‎ 
• Irshad publisher sends lawyer's letter to Jawi 
• Seizure of Irshad Manji books illegal, says publisher 
• Is our faith so fragile? — Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan

The problems in this whole fiasco were plain and easy to see. JAWI raided the bookstore for selling Irshad Manji's "Allah, Liberty and Love". The raid took place on 23 May, the ban was gazetted by the Home Affairs Ministry on 29 May and published on 14 June. Therefore, prior 23 May, it was still legal to sell the book and the raid was unjustified. After that, store manager Nik Raina was charged for selling and distributing the book, while the book was never sold or distributed after the raid. Not to mention the rough treatment received when Nik Raina was being cooperative in the investigation.

I think we won't be hearing the last of it anytime soon. This is a violation in many levels.