After Malaysia bans his book, author says his depiction of Indonesian maid was misunderstood

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s government has banned a book following protests over what was perceived as an insulting depiction of an Indonesian maid, and the book’s author has apologized for the offensive material and says it was misunderstood. Boey Chee Ming, a Malaysian artist now based in the U.S., said he was shocked to learn that his book “When I was a Kid 3” was banned almost a decade after it was released. The Home Ministry has said the book contained material “likely to be prejudicial to morality.” Boey said Thursday he believed the ban was triggered by a chapter in which his father likened their Indonesian maid to a monkey as she could quickly scale a coconut tree. He apologized, saying he wasn’t denigrating her but merely praising her skills.