Malaysia bans an Ultraman comic

Malaysia is banning an Ultraman comic book because it uses “Allah” to describe the Japanese action hero.

The Home Ministry said Friday that the Malay edition of "Ultraman: The Ultra Power" contained elements that can undermine public security and societal morals.

"Ultraman is idolized by many children," said the government statement, and equating the lead character, Ultraman King, with Allah would especially "confuse Muslim children and damage their faith."

Ultraman is a fictional Japanese superhero who fights monsters and first appeared on television in the 1960s. A line in the banned book said Ultraman "is considered and respected as Allah, or the Elder, to all ultra heroes."

The Arabic "Allah" is commonly used in the Malay language to refer to God by Christians in Malaysia, as it is in other languages in parts of the Muslim world. But the Malaysian government insists that "Allah" should be reserved for the country's 60 percent Muslim majority out of concerns that its use by others would confuse Muslims and could be used to convert them.

Conversion from Islam to other religions is difficult but not impossible under Malaysian law, but proselytizing by Christians is effectively forbidden and can lead to jail sentences. About 9 percent of the country's population is Christian.

Although Malaysian law guarantees religious freedom, the country's Christian, Buddhist and Hindu minorities have long complained that the government infringes on their constitutional right to practice religion freely — accusations the government denies.

Religious tensions have been high since the Roman Catholic Church went to court to seek the right to use "Allah" in its weekly newspaper.

A lower court last year ruled in favor of the government, which the church has appealed to the country's highest court. The Federal Court said Wednesday it will decide at a later date whether to hear the case.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press