KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has welcomed the Prime Minister’s call for greater openness in the local film industry, but says film censorship will remain firmly in place.
The ministry, through the Film Censorship Board, said filmmakers should be given more space to create, experiment, express views and develop creative and critical thinking.
“The aspiration is in line with efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s film industry and ensure it remains innovative, competitive and relevant amid changing societal expectations and technological developments.
“However, film classification and censorship are two different but complementary processes under the Film Censorship Act 2002,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday.
While classification determines whether content is suitable for viewers based on age categories, censorship involves a comprehensive assessment based on existing laws, policies and guidelines, it said.
“As such, the granting of an age classification does not mean a film is exempted from the censorship process,” the ministry said.
It said every film would still undergo assessment by the censorship board, although content would not necessarily require cuts if the board found that it could remain intact under the appropriate age classification.
“The assessment takes into account scenes, dialogue, audio, themes, behaviour and the context of the storytelling, with the approach aimed at allowing creativity to flourish without compromising the censorship board’s responsibility to protect public interests,” it added.
It said the space provided through age classifications does not remove the censorship board’s responsibility to ensure that content complied with laws, policies and guidelines.
“Content found to be in breach of such requirements could be subject to appropriate action or adjustments based on its context and level of risk.
“Films containing content that could not be adjusted to meet the stipulated requirements would not be approved for screening,” it said.
The ministry said the censorship board would continue refining its approach to censorship to make it more progressive, responsive and professional, with assessments based on content, context and risk.
It added that public and national interests would remain key considerations, particularly for content that could affect national security, public order, religion, morality and the socio-cultural fabric of society.
“The censorship board will also take into account national interests and sensitivities involving international relations where content could affect Malaysia’s image, social harmony or ties with other countries,” it added.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the local creative industry should be given more space and freedom while still holding onto cultural values.
He said audiences want an atmosphere that is freer and more open, adding that if things are too suppressed and closed, he feared the national arts industry, especially film, would fail.
