PETALING JAYA: Controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen (pic) has described Malaysia as a “coward” nation following Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein’s decision to suspend the screening of Tamil movie, Vishwaroopam.
“Malaysia banned Vishwaroopam. Coward countries will ban it, coward cinemas will not show it.
“This fear of Muslim fanatics is just plain stupid,” said Taslima on Twitter after news of the suspension was reported by the Indian media yesterday.
Taslima courted controversy in 1993 after a book that she wrote entitled Lajja criticised the implementation of the sharia law.
Muslims in Bangladesh called for her death and this led to her decision to live in exile in India.
Taslima is not the first to criticise Malaysia’s decision.
Yesterday, Malaysia’s National Laureate A Samad Said questioned the rationale of the suspension by the Film Censorship Board (LPF) since it saw no harm in allowing Hindi film Race 2 from being screened.
Vishwaroopam was suspended last Friday after cinemas began screening the movie.
The movie has also been banned in Singapore and several other countries
