Censor Board banned 21 movies in last two years
KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty-one movies were banned from cinemas by the Film Censorship Board in the past two years.
Film Censorship Board chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said the board banned 10 movies last year, and 11 movies in 2015.
The films banned last year were Tharai Thappattai, Duck King 2 aka Yang Wang 2, Tere Bin Laden — Dead or Alive, Timbuktu, Syndicate, Bite, Raman Raghav, the animation movie Sausage Party, Hardcore Henry and Fundamentally Happy.
In 2015, the list of international and local movies banned included the steamy flick 50 Shades of Grey.
Also banned were Baby, Exodus: Gods and Kings, Annayum Rasolum, Spilt Gravy on Rice, Iron Ladies Roar, Magic Mike XXL, Angker, Mencari Teduh, The Danish Girl and The Great Escape.
Most of the movies were banned because of a combination of rated scenes, which included sex scenes and obscene utterances, excessive violence as well scenes that touched on political, religious and cultural sensitivities.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry said it would not allow
to be Beauty and the Beast screened without cuts.
Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said this in Kluang yesterday in response to a request made by Walt Disney Co to retain the movie without cuts.
The movie, initially slated for a March 17 release, had been postponed indefinitely pending an “internal review”.
He said the government would not bow to the conditions set by the United States-based entertainment and film giant as there were regulations on what could be shown on the big screen in Malaysia.
“We will not (entertain Disney's request). We have laws and regulations. Any display of anything related to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) culture will not be allowed.
“The problem is, will Malaysians completely accept the LGBT culture? Will the values depicted in the movie be accepted by the people and will it contribute to the country’s development?” Nur Jazlan said after attending the Prisons Day and National Anti-Drug Day celebrations at the Simpang Renggam prison near here yesterday.