When I saw the list of banned books from our favourite Bookaholic's site, I couldn't help but be upset and saddened by the continuing ridiculous state of Malaysian censorship.

It's bad enough our already striken film and television industry have long suffered the wrath of simplistic individuals running the Censorship Board. But if you take a look at the banned book list, you wouldn't know to laugh or to cry. What could possibly be the reasons these books were banned?

1412735610 The Wiggles Shop Wiggly Jukebox

0785368760 Read-Aloud Children's Classics

0785378103 Poems & Prayers for Children (Hardcover)

I get the banning of books with political or specific religious ideologies that our government feel it's not good for our society as a whole. But children's books? I also understand the rest of the list have books and magazines are of sexual nature, and it's obvious that Malaysians don't have sex.

No wonder our citizens can't think critically. We aren't even allowed to choose books that make us think, let alone have them. Even from an economic standpoint, having some of us citizens look for books abroad or on Amazon, is having the Ringgit flow out of the country. Banning books is only making the educated, and those craving for information and knowledge seek them elsewhere. Besides, isn't it the ideology of a communist government to ban books?

Along with Sharon, this entry is my call as a member of the public for the local media to expose banned books in Malaysia. Sharon has an index on book censorship here.