(1)Whenever the Minister considers it in the public interest so to do, he or she may, in his or her absolute discretion, prohibit, by statutory order, the importation of all publications or any of them, periodical or otherwise; and where the prohibition is in respect of any periodical publication, the same or any subsequent order may relate to all or any of the past or future issues of a periodical publication.

(2)The Minister may, by writing under his or her hand, at any time, and from time to time, exempt any of the publications the importation of which has been prohibited under this section, or permit any person or class of persons to import all or any of such publications.