Malaysia Officials Seize 'Obscene' Material, Including 'Black Metal' Chains

September 28, 2003

Officers from Malaysia's Home Ministry's publication control and enforcement branch seized 277 obscene items from several shops in Penang during a raid recently, according to Malaysia's The Star Online. Among the items seized were chains that promoted black metal groups and cannabis, rings and pendants.

The northern zone chief of the branch, Mohd Shah Ismail, told reporters Saturday (September 27) that an enforcement team led by senior assistant publications officer Ooi Tiang Guan, raided 25 premises in Penang Road and Bukit Jambul on the island on Sept. 22.

He said the team seized cigarette lighters, T-shirts, bags and scarves with obscene depictions and also items that degraded religions and defamed religious leaders.

"The confiscated items were openly displayed and our investigations revealed that students and youth were attracted to these items, such as cigarette lighters, when lit, displayed nude pictures of women," he said.

Mohd Shah said another team of officers checked 12 premises in Penang's Little India following complaints from Malaysia Hindu Sangam and the public about statuettes of Lord Ganesha that have caused a public outcry.

He said they could not find any such statuettes in the shops, adding that the traders could have removed them in the wake of bad publicity.

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