Ultraman Comic Banned in Malaysia For Allleged Misuse of "Allah"

The Malaysian government has banned a translation of an Ultraman comic book after it referred to the popular Japanese superhero as "Allah," The Sun reports. The Home Ministry said the Malay language edition of Ultraman, The Ultra Power "contains elements that can undermine public order and morals." They added that other Ultraman comic books were unaffected and that only this edition is banned. "Ultraman is an idolized by many children," and equating him with Allah will "confuse Muslim youth and damage their faith," the Ministry said in a statement. It further warned that irresponsible use of the word can provoke Muslims and threaten public safety. The Malaysian government is already engaged in a court battle with the Catholic Church over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims, in a case that has raised religious tensions in the majority Muslim country. The controversial line describes Ultraman: "He is considered, and respected, as Allah or the Elder to all Ultra heroes." The ban is enforced under the Printing Presses and Publications Act, which gives Malaysian authorities wide-ranging powers over printed material; this same law has been used to bar the Catholic Church from using "Allah" in its publications. The case, which is currently being appealed with the land's highest court, has created controversy as to whether non-Muslims should use the word at all, while some, including Muslims, have criticized the government for overstepping its power and unnecessarily restricting free speech.