More movies banned in Malaysia
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) has expressed concern over a series of bans and restrictions implemented by the Malaysian authorities which point to increasing intolerance for free expression and differing viewpoints.
The National Censorship Board recently banned award-winning filmmaker Tsai Ming Liang’s Hei yan quan (I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone), claiming that it portrayed the unsightly side of the capital city Kuala Lumpur and affected the government’s ongoing tourism campaign. This follows the recent banning of Amir Muhammad’s film, Lelaki Komunis Terakhir (The Last Communist) for being too sympathetic toward communism.
Elsewhere, on 16th February, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission banned Sensasi, a Malay-language talk show aired by private broadcaster TV3 for failing to take appropriate steps to censor or control inappropriate content”. This ban was triggered by a remark about Muhammad’s first wife by an actress.
In print, 56 publications have been banned by the Internal Security Ministry, including the Indonesian translation of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species.
Tuesday 06 Mar 2007 | Paul | Malaysia
