MCA’s Wee hits out at “creative licence” of Tanda Putera, says it’s irresponsible

Tanda Putera director should not use her “creative licence” to portray inflammatory scenes in a historical film, said MCA National Youth Chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic) today.

“The line must be drawn between fact and fiction,” said Wee in statement, the first pro-government politician to speak up about the film.

“Making a film to address the efforts of Malaysia’s statesmen is lauded. However, to imply guilt on a particular race and to create an incident is simply irresponsible.

"It can harm moves by our prime minister towards national reconciliation.”

He also warned that Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba and the film’s producers will be held liable should any negative events occur due to the film’s racist tone.

The film directed by Shuhaimi depicts the relationship between second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak and his deputy Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman during events surrounding the May 13 racial riots.

However, the film has courted controversy with scenes and dialogue that are racially sensitive. Shuhaimi has said that the film is an interpretation of historical events derived from multiple opinions.

The movie has received negative press partly due to a scene that has been linked to a young Lim Kit Siang urinating at a flagpole outside the house of former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Harun Idris.

Kit Siang denied that such an incident had taken place. No one has publicly come forward to say that it happened.

DAP has continually criticised the film for stoking racial tension, alleging that Tanda Putera pins the racial riots of 1969 on the Chinese.

Shuhaimi had said that after certain parties strongly objected to a scene where a character urinates at a flagpole in front of the house of a former Selangor menteri besar, she edited the scene to tone it down.

However, the edits were only done on the dialogue and the act remained in the movie’s final cut. Shuhaimi defended her work and asked the public to give the film a chance before making judgment.

Tanda Putera was supposed to be aired last year but was postponed three times following protests against several scenes in the movie.

The cost of the movie is estimated to be RM4.8 million and it is a joint effort of Persona Pictures, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and Multimedia Development Corporation (MdeC).