Umno man wants ‘The New Village’ banned

Umno leader pressures government to ban the film which projects communists as heroes.

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KUALA LUMPUR: An Umno leader wants the government to ban the controversial film ‘The New Village’ if it is found to depict communists as heroes.

Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Alhabshee also urged the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and Film Censorship Board (LPF) to declare why they had approved it for screening.

“Finas and LPF have not explained yet. It doesn’t make sense to only review its plot now; following many complaints by the public… the people will ask what they (Finas and LPF) have been doing before this?” Syed Ali said on his blog today.

Earlier today, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the movie, which is scheduled to hit cinemas in August, needed to be reviewed further in terms of its plot and message.

Zahid said LPF had approved the film for screening last year but there had been complaints in the social media and by several non-governmental organisations claiming that it glorified communism.

Syed Ali questioned why opposition Pakatan Rakyat, “especially non-Malay leaders”, had not objected to this film unlike with ‘Tanda Putera’, which depicts the struggles and sacrifice of former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein following the May 13 racial riots.

He acknowledged the screening of Tanda Putera had been delayed due to protests from opposition leaders, especially the Chinese.

“[The opposition] should in fact prioritise the sensitivity of the people, especially the Malays, and look at the historical facts of what happened during the May 13, 1969 tragedy,” he said.

“The New Village directed by Wong Kew Lit depicts the Malayan Emergency in 1944 where upon PKM (Malayan Communist Party) and the Malayan People Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) was hailed as freedom fighters,” he explained.

Uphold national interests

Syed Ali then urged Finas and LPF to uphold national interests and refrain from being “careless” towards films that are “racial”, “intending to cause racial tension among the public” and “distort
historical facts”.

“Finas and LPF have to take responsibility and respond why there is double standard. It is clear ‘The New Village’ distorts historical facts, whereas ‘Tanda Putera’ is factual in regards to the May 13 incident,” he said.

He then expressed disappointment that screening of ‘The New Village ‘was only delayed after public outcry on the social media.

“How can it be approved, when it’s an insult to our national heroes including the soldiers and policemen that have sacrificed their lives to protect our country from communist insurgence,” he
said.

Syed Ali called on the Home Ministry to view this problem seriously as films are also a form of propaganda which can disrupt national unity and stability of the country.

“I am worried about the present situation. It seems there are certain parties that are trying to divide the Malays and non-Malays and eventually, there will be chaos.”

Yesterday, numerous newspapers carried a blog report questioning why this film was approved for screening when the film ‘Tanda Putera’ on the struggle for Malaysia’s independence had been postponed numerous times.

A trailer of the film directed by Ong has sparked heated discussions and drawn various reactions over the film allegedly projecting the communists as heroes who liberated Malaya.

Attempt to rewrite history
Last night, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said that the local Chinese movie should not be allowed if it is found to glorify communism and communist terrorists.

He said based on the movie’s trailer, it appeared to be doing that, which was unacceptable altogether.

“This is an attempt to rewrite our history by glorifying the communist insurgents who we know had committed a lot of atrocities against the people.

“Although it it true that the communists had fought against the British (colonial rule), their violence cannot be forgiven,” he had said after officiating at an Ihya Ramadan programme at Al-Mukmin Mosque, Batu Tiga, in Tapah, last night.

“If there are people who ask why I’ve said this while I haven’t seen the whole movie, I can refer the case of another local movie, ‘Tanda Putra’, where many protested against it despite not having seen the movie, resulting in its screening to be put on hold for a year.

On the ease with which ‘The New Village’ received approval for screening from the relevant authority compared to ‘Tanda Putera’, Khairy said the double standard should not occur.

“That is why this has raised questions. I will bring up this matter to the cabinet because I see a clear case of double standard here.