PUTRAJAYA – The new Film Censorship Guidelines were introduced today to ensure that local film-makers can continue to produce more high-quality works with aesthetic value without touching on the sensitivities of the country’s multiracial and multi-religious society.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said three main pillars were incorporated in the new censorship guidelines, namely public order and safety, religion and morality, and the sociocultural perspective.
He said that the new guidelines, which replace the old ones from 2010, must ensure that matters enshrined in the Federal Constitution – including Islam as the religion of the federation, the role of the royal institution and the national language – would not be disputed in the content of any film.
“The real aspiration of the Film Censorship Board (LPF) is to minimise modification directives so as not to affect the aesthetic value of a film.
“We allow the creativity of artists, and in this process, the guidelines have certainly been improved over the previous ones,” he said at the launch of the new guidelines here today.
The minister also said that the new guidelines had received input from various parties, including industry players, academics and non-governmental organisations.
“This (introduction of new guidelines) is not a unilateral decision. The engagement process was conducted with all levels of stakeholders in the local film industry,” he said.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said film industry players needed to work closely with LPF as the censorship body was not there to limit film-makers’ creativity.
“At the same time, LPF needs to engage extensively with industry players because they may have ideas and suggestions suitable for the current situation.
“I believe that the law is dynamic and not static, we want to use it to further strengthen the role and function of LPF,” he said.
Saifuddin said that in 2023, LPF received 11,439 censorship applications, covering films, advertisements, television station content and film publicity materials.
According to the new Film Censorship Guidelines booklet, film content must not incite racial issues, political tension, misunderstandings and confusion about religion.
Furthermore, film content must not depict wild, unprincipled or deviant lifestyles that contradict cultural values and could harm the moral values of society. – May 20, 2024