KUALA LUMPUR – Seven non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have lodged a police report against local indie movie Mentega Terbang for allegedly containing scenes disturbing to Muslims here.
According to Gerakan Pembela Ummah chairman Mohd Zai Mustafa, the report was filed to urge Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil to take firm action against the film’s producer.
“One scene of the movie depicts a Muslim father not caring about his child eating pork.
“We feel that such scenes should not have been made as it presents the wrong message (of) Muslims in Malaysia not caring about their faith,” Zai said after filing the police report at the Shah Alam district police headquarters earlier today, as quoted by Utusan Malaysia.
Mohd Yusof Abdullah, the secretary for a Selangor NGO secretariat, also warned that the groups will not hesitate to take further action if the government refuses to act against the film’s producer.
“The government must take immediate action because the movie has incited the anger of Muslims in the country.
“It is hoped that our police report will prevent other film producers from brazenly making movies that can cause our society to be confused about Islam,” he said.
Earlier today, it was reported that streaming platform Viu had taken down the movie on February 27 after it became the first independent film to be shown on the platform on January 19.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said Viu was contacted over the movie, despite the agency not having the authority to censor movies and TV shows on online platforms.
The Film Censorship Board had also stated that the movie’s screening lies outside the body’s purview as it is only available for viewing online via the Internet.
Directed by Khairi Anwar and produced by Meng Kheng Entertainment, the movie tells the story of a woman named Aisyah who, in her quest to discover what happens to people after they die, studies several religions such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism.
Earlier, the film was screened at the Jogja-Netpac Indonesia Film Festival in 2021 as well as the Aceh Film Festival last year.
Previously, Na’im had claimed that based on checks conducted by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, the film’s content goes against the theology and way of life of Muslims from the Syafie school of thought in Malaysia.
He added that the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department has also been asked to call the parties involved in the production of the film for follow-up procedures. – The Vibes, March 4, 2023
