Banned books allowed for limited use

Banned books allowed for limited use

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Singgih said yesterday that
universities may use, for research and scientific purposes, books
that the government has banned.

"Books that the government has banned can be used by academics
for research and scientific purposes in universities," he told
reporters.

The idea of allowing limited circulation of books banned by
the government was proposed by Minister of National Development
Planning/Chairman of the National Development Planning Board
Ginandjar Kartasasmita at a National Conference on Books this
week.

Ginandjar said banned books should be allowed limited
circulation, in universities and libraries, for scientific
purposes.

He said that the blacklisted books should be read by experts
because they would thereby be able to provide arguments against
the books and reveal the lies and evils of the books to
university students and other educated people.

Singgih said the ban on books on Marxism, Leninism or
Communism had been imposed in a decree by the People's
Consultative Assembly.

"The law remains valid," he said.

Noted Moslem Scholar Nurcholish Madjid said yesterday that he
supported Singgih's move.

"I agree with Singgih, since the limited circulation is for
scientific purposes only," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said the ban was only meant to prevent the public from
reading the books.

"Certain books are banned with the aim of preventing unwanted
actions by readers who are offended by their contents," he said.

He stressed, however, that the banned books should be
circulated only to selected people.

He said that if the books were to be allowed in libraries they
should be stored in special places to ensure that unauthorized
people did not read them. (imn)