KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been ordered to pay a nominal sum of RM1,000 to controversial cartoonist Zunar for banning his “Sapuman-Man of Steal” book for almost a year.
Zunar’s counsel Zaid Malek said the order was made in chambers today before High Court deputy registrar Firdaus Sidqi Sharil Azli.
“For general damages, the court allowed a nominal sum of RM1,000, while special damages sought for were not allowed,” he added.
Senior federal counsel Jamilah Jamil who acted for the government was also present during the chamber matter.
The Home Ministry had lifted the ban order through a letter on Aug 9 last year.
In the letter, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was then the acting Home Minister, decided to revoke the order on Aug 2, the same year.
On Feb 12, 2018, Zunar obtained leave to initiate a judicial review to challenge the ban on his book, naming the Home Ministry and the previous Barisan Nasional-led government as respondents.
On Jan 2, the same year, Zunar filed his judicial review application, claiming that the prohibition of the book was unreasonable, unconstitutional, and was made with malicious intent.
He is seeking an order to quash the ban on the book and a declaration that the ban was null and void and has no effect as it was inconsistent with the purpose of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The order for the ban came in October 2017.