Arya News - The government is investigating the controversy surrounding the OTT release of Madu atau Racun and reviewing whether it breached existing guidelines or regulations.
PUTRAJAYA – The government will not compromise on dramas and films that touch on religious and racial sensitivities, says Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister said he had contacted the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) chief executive officer over the controversy surrounding the streaming of “Madu atau Racun” on an over-the-top (OTT) platform.
He said the Content Forum, under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and Finas had been instructed to meet the production team and platform concerned on Wednesday to obtain a full explanation.
“Jakim (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) will also be involved in the meeting,” he said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (Sept 2).
Fahmi said Finas had jurisdiction over film activities, including exhibition in cinemas, while MCMC had jurisdiction over television broadcasting and communications.
He said OTT platforms were not yet fully subject to the licensing framework governing conventional broadcasting.
“Freedom of expression must be balanced with responsibility to respect religious values, social harmony as well as racial and cultural sensitivities,” he said.
Fahmi said the government would not hesitate to take appropriate action if the assessment and investigation found any violation of existing guidelines, regulations or requirements.
He said Finas would issue a further statement after the meeting with the production team and platform.
“We will not compromise when it comes to the production of dramas or films that touch on religious and racial sensitivities,” he said.