Malaysia 'bans Obedient Wives' Islamic sex guide'

The book is not widely available, but officials say it still needs to be banned

Malaysian officials have banned a controversial book that offers sex tips to Muslim women, reports say.

The book, entitled Islamic Sex, is believed to have been read by a few hundred people.

It was published by a group known as the Obedient Wives' Club, which has been widely criticised for promoting polygamy and denigrating women.

Officials said anyone making copies of the book for sale could be jailed for three years.

The Obedient Wives' Club told journalists last month that the book was intended as a spiritual guide to be read only by club members to help them comprehend sex.

The club has previously said women should act like "first-class prostitutes" to prevent their husbands from having affairs or resorting to violence.

The club is linked with al-Arqam, a religious sect that was banned in Malaysia in the 1990s.

Home Ministry official Abdul Aziz Mid Nor told the Malaysia Star newspaper that the book would be banned both because its content infringed censorship laws and because it was linked to al-Arqam.

Officials said anyone found with a copy of the book can be fined 5,000 ringgit ($1,600; £1,000).

And anyone intending to make copies for distribution faces a jail sentence and a fine of up to 20,000 ringgit.