Stern warning issued to TV stations over sensitive scenes

KOTA BARU: The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (K-KOMM) has issued a stern warning to all operators of television stations not to display any scenes that touch on religious and other sensitivities in the country.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the ministry would not hesitate to take action if there were television stations that violated the guidelines set.

"Under the current regulation, the government gives the authority to censor drama content to the television station itself.

"If we find that the television station does not follow certain guidelines, especially touching on issues related to religion, culture, customs and so on, then I will review the facility (censorship authority), and we may revoke it," he told reporters after presenting donations to Form Six students in the Ketereh parliamentary constituency in conjunction with the “Back To School” programme here Sunday (March 20).

He was asked to comment on a video uploaded by a local actor on his Instagram account, which featured hot scenes believed to be from a drama that had yet to be aired.

Annuar said the facilities provided on a trust basis by the government under the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should not be taken lightly by television stations.

"For me, scenes that are not in line with the culture of the Malays and Muslims, and that offend the Malays and Muslims should not even reach a stage where the ministry needs to step in and reprimand, because we need to understand for ourselves, the boundaries of scenes that are inappropriate," he said.

Annuar also said he had asked the parties involved in a drama to provide a written explanation, and if not deemed satisfactory, the drama would not be allowed to be aired.

After a video clip of the scenes went viral, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad through his Facebook page had also said that he would be contacting the parties involved to resolve the matter.

Meanwhile, Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad (TV3) in a media statement Saturday (March 19) said that the scenes shown in the clip were not suitable to be broadcast and were neither discussed nor approved by the television station. – Bernama