Tanda Putera audiences believe film a 'fact of history'

A cinema goer who watched the controversial film ‘Tanda Putera' has felt the scenes depicting the May 13 racial riots in the film as a "historical fact" that needs to be taken as a lesson for Malaysians.

Zaidi Sidek, 33, said so when met by Malaysiakini after watching the movie at the Mid Valley Megamall at 11am yesterday, a screening that only attracted a dozen of people.

"May 13, 1969 - I was not even born yet. This story is based on historical facts, and we can't change facts," said the civil servant who took a day off from work to watch the movie yesterday.

He hoped that the issues raised in the film will be left in the annals of history and be made as a lesson for the future.

"For me, on the issue of racial riots, there is nothing to hide about it," he said.

‘Tanda Putera' was initially targeted for screening last August but was only released now due to controversies surrounding some scenes in the movie.

It opened in cinemas nationwide yesterday to coincide with the National Day weekend.

Among the controversial scenes were those depicting riots between Malays and Chinese on that fateful day, resulting in hundreds being killed.

One of the scenes that has attracted the most attention is a Chinese youth urinating on a flagpole at the Selangor menteri besar's residence at that time in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.

A witness from the incident has claimed that the scene is "fictional" while the filmmaker has defended its inclusion as "artistic licence".

'Film should be screened' 

The Penang government yesterday advised cinemas in the state not to screen the film because it allegedly contains scenes that are seditious which could threaten racial harmony in the country.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng stressed that the state's directive was merely an advisory and that cinemas are not obliged to stop screening the film.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old student Mohd Haiqal Abd Aziz said that he watched ‘Tanda Putera' out of curiosity because the movie has been besieged by controversy.

He urged all parties who have criticised the movie to watch it first before passing judgement.

"Anyone who said that this movie was racist must watch it first before commenting. They didn't watch it but said the movie is seditious and so on," he said.

Insurance broker Hanim Bazira Mohd Taib, 20, said the movie should to be screened so that Malaysians will not forget history.

"We must show it because that is history. For me, the movie is all right.

"Make it (the film) a lesson to all because the controversy of racism did happen back then. We just have to tolerate it," he said.