Education Ministry withdraws M’sia from Frankfurt Book Fair

Education Ministry withdraws M’sia from Frankfurt Book Fair


The Education Ministry has officially withdrawn participation from the Frankfurt International Book Fair (Frankfurter Buchmesse) to be held in the German city next week.

In a statement, the ministry said the decision was made based on the organiser's open support for the Israeli forces in the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

"The ministry will not compromise with Israel’s violence in Palestine that blatantly violates international laws and human rights.

“The decision (to withdraw) is in line with the government’s stand to be in solidarity and offer full support for Palestine,” the Education Ministry said today.

The Education Ministry, through Malaysia’s National Book Council, had made initial preparations including a briefing held in Putrajaya last week for a 53-member delegation comprising publishers, writers and local literary agents.

Earlier today, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka also announced that it has withdrawn participation this year, joining a growing list of local publishers including Karangkraf Sdn Bhd.

Previously, publisher Buku Fixi had urged the government to boycott the 75th Frankfurter Buchmesse.

On Saturday, Frankfurter Buchmesse director Juergen Boos, in a Facebook post, condemned what he described as Hamas’ “barbaric war” against Israel.

He also said, “we will be making Jewish and Israeli voices especially visible” at the book fair scheduled to take place from Oct 18 to 23, with the participation of around 100 countries.

One of the side events, initially announced to honour Palestinian author Adania Shibli for her novel “Minor Detail” - on events related to the rape of a Bedouin girl in 1949 by an Israeli army unit - has since been cancelled by the organiser, German literary organisation Litprom.