The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has summoned the owner of Mohahang Productions over allegations that the Miss Grand Cambodia pageant produced by the company featured inappropriate and obscene content that bordered on nudity in addition to depicting scenes of gambling with cards and dice.
The summons followed a series of public criticisms over the depiction of Bavet and Poipet towns featuring gambling.
The programme caused a social media uproar during and after its broadcast, with users also objecting to the skin-revealing dress worn by the pageant contestants and the use of a provincial administration uniform from Stung Treng province.
Culture ministry secretary of state Long Bonna Sirivath said that after receiving many complaints, officials summoned the production company’s owner for education and to sign a contract promising to stop activities that are contrary to Khmer traditions and morality.
The ministry also advised the organisers to follow the ministry’s inspection protocols for the contestants’ dresses before allowing them to perform on stage or before advertising using such imagery, particularly if they are associating provocative and obscene imagery with specific places and locations in the Kingdom.
“We have made it clear to them that everything that they do related to culture, which is under the jurisdiction of the ministry, they must seek the ministry’s permission first. The production filmed their pageant without the ministry’s approval, causing something as awkward as this to happen.
“We are taking administrative measures and calling them in for reprimand and to ensure that they remove those scenes from any rebroadcast or other means of distribution of the pageant video,” he said.
On Aug 26, Stung Treng provincial authorities issued a letter objecting to the use of the provincial representative’s uniform in the programme without first seeking permission, as the uniform shown is not a traditional style of dress for the province.
“In order to restore the honour of Stung Treng province, Mohahang Productions must make a public apology to the people in the province and issue a correction immediately,” they said in a notice. — The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
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