The phony Malaysian edition, which promised sexual content but failed to deliver, was produced to capitalize on Playboy’s own recent troubles in the region, according to authorities.
The headline on the fake Malaysian version read: Contains no nudity but is erotic.”
While the claim regarding nudity was correct, the promise of erotic material was a case of false advertising, according to the New Straits Times, a regional newspaper.
But senior Kelantan state official Nik Kamarul disagreed, saying that while the periodical contained no pornographic content, the fact that the title was linked with sex and eroticism was enough for the publisher to face moral charges.
Kelantan is the only Malaysian state to be ruled by the Islamic opposition party PAS.
Less than a month earlier, Playboy launched its inaugural Indonesian issue of the popular men’s magazine. Although the Indonesian edition, which flew off the stands, contained no nudity, Playboy elected to suspend operations in the predominately Muslim country after a wave of protests.
The publishers, who printed the magazine with a counterfeit permit code, remain at large. If caught, they could face up to three years in prison and a fine for producing the magazine.
