Jeka Kampai, Padang – A joint team from the District Military Command (Kodim) and the Padang Attorney General’s Office have seized a number of books alleged to contain communist ideas.

The books were confiscated from the Nagare Boshi Bookshop in the Pondok Pecinan area of West Padang on the afternoon of Tuesday January 8. Five book titles were seized totalling eight books in all.

“We seized them first, because they contain material on the PKI [Indonesian Communist Party]. The PKI has clearly been banned”, North and West Padang District Military Command 01 commander (Danramil) Infantry Major Parningotan Simbolon told Detik at the location.

The books that were seized were titled: Chronicle 65’’ (Kronik ‘65), Targeting the Big Brother: Seven Assassination Attempts against the President (Mengincar Bung Besar: Tujuh Upaya Pembunuhan Presiden), Red Coat (Jas Merah), Children of the Revolution (Anak-anak Revolusi) and The 1965 September 30 Movement: The PKI, Aidit, Sukarno and Soeharto (Gestapu 65: PKI, Aidit, Sukarno dan Soeharto).

The book Red Coat was written by Wirianto Sumartono, Children of the Revolution was written by former People’s Democratic Party (PRD) chairperson Budiman Sudjatmiko and Chronic 65’ was written by Kuncoro Adi.

“I can’t provide a full explanation. But it’s clear from the titles of these books that they are about the PKI, meanwhile the PKI is banned in Indonesia. Currently certain unscrupulous individuals are spreading slander”, added Simbolon.

Simbolon said that the titles on the cover of the books are not the same as the contents. According to Simbolon the contents of the books have been changed from the original.

“The outside and inside of the books are different, as if they’ve been changed, so we have secured them at Kodim. Later we will order the printer to come to Kodim”, he said.

Simbolon asserted that anything related to material on the PKI is absolutely prohibited. After this, the district military command will do a cross-check on other book shops which may be selling the same books.

“This is the first time that we have carried out a seizure at a [book] shop”, he added. (gbr/hri)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Dituding Mengandung Unsur PKI, Buku Jasmerah Cs Diamankan”.]

Source: https://news.detik.com/berita/4376417/aparat-amankan-sejumlah-buku-berunsur-pki-di-padang