Malaysia Bans Ultraman-inspired Comic Allegedly Over "Allah"

Above, the banned comic book.

The silly season must be on in Asia as Malaysia's Home Ministry banned an Ultraman comic book because, get this, it used the word "Allah."

According to Kyodo News:

Malaysia's Home Ministry has banned a comic book based on the Japanese iconic superhero Ultraman because it allegedly contained "elements that threatened public order," the official news agency Bernama reported Thursday. 

Bernama quoted a statement from the ministry saying the ban on the Malay-language comic book titled "Ultraman - The Ultra Power" that was produced locally, took effect from Feb. 18. The statement did not specify the reason for the ban. 

Twitter users including Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, however, posted a page from the book that could point to the cause of Ultraman's trouble and entangles the Japanese TV and movie character in a battle between Malaysia's Muslims and the minority Christians over the use of the word "Allah," the Arabic word for God.

The page contained lines in Malay that can be translated as Ultraman King is "considered and respected as 'Allah' or Elder among all Ultra heroes." According to the predominantly Muslim government, "Allah" is exclusive to Islam.

 To read more, go here.