Saifuddin said the new guidelines focus on three key elements: public order and security, religion, as well as morality and sociocultural perspectives.
“The new guidelines adhere to the Federal Constitution. There will be no (tolerating content that) disputes matters like Islam as the religion of the federation, the role of the royal institution, the special privileges (given to Bumiputeras), or (the official) language.
“And then there are the do’s and don’ts within the context of social contact and the Rukun Negara that we will not compromise with,” he said after the launch of the guidelines here.
He said the new guidelines followed engagements with players in the local film industry, academics, and NGOs, adding that they were not unilaterally formulated by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (LPF).
He also called on filmmakers not to view the LPF as seeking to clamp down on their creativity, saying the new regulations were in fact an improvement from previous iterations.
“The LPF’s real aspiration is to minimise directives for modifications (to films) so as not to affect the aesthetic value of a film,” he said.
He instead urged filmmakers to work closely with the LPF, and for the latter to hold extensive engagements with industry players for possible improvements to the guidelines.
“I believe that the law is dynamic and not static. We want to use it to further strengthen the role and function of the LPF,” he said.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the Film Censorship Act 2022 currently does not extend to content published online, particularly on streaming and over-the-top platforms.
He said the LPF received 11,439 censorship applications last year including for films, trailers, advertisements, television content, and publicity materials.
The minister also launched new film classifications, namely U (universal/suitable for all), P12 (parental guidance needed for those under 12), P13 (for those 13 and above), P16 (16 and above), and P18 (18 and above).
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