'Mentega Terbang' director fails in appeal to lift gag order

 

The court gag order against “Mentega Terbang” director Mohd Khairianwar Jailani stays in place.

A three-person Court of Appeal bench this morning unanimously denied leave to the film director to commence an appeal to quash the gag order linked to his ongoing criminal case involving the controversial banned movie.

On Jan 17, the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court imposed the gag order as part of the conditions for Khairianwar’s (above, left) release on bail after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentionally hurting the religious feelings of others.

Seven days later, the Kuala Lumpur High Court denied his review application to set aside the gag order.

During open-court proceedings this morning, the appellate bench’s chairperson Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim ruled there was no merit in Khairianwar’s motion for leave to appeal.

Speaking on behalf of fellow appellate bench members Azmi Ariffin and Noorin Badaruddin, Zaidi said that the film director failed to show how the magistrate erred in exercising the lower court’s discretion to impose the gag order as part of bail conditions.

Zaid Malek appeared for Khairianwar, while deputy public prosecutor Parvin Hameedah prosecuted.

Producer’s separate bid

While the High Court had denied Khairianwar's review bid against his gag order, the same court allowed a separate challenge by “Mentega Terbang” producer Tan Meng Kheng to quash the gag order against him.

Producer Tan Meng Kheng

Before the Magistrates Court, Tan pleaded not guilty to a similar criminal charge under Section 298 of the Penal Code.

The duo's cases are still pending before the court and yet to go for full trial.

Released in 2021 but banned last year, the movie tells the story of 15-year-old Aishah, who in the face of her mother’s death, gets drawn into exploring the concept of rebirth as contained in other religions.

Her father is also shown as a liberal character who has no issues with his daughter studying the holy scriptures of other religions in search of an answer. - Mkini