GSC to screen Tanda Putera in Penang

Penangites can now watch Tanda Putera in the state as the movie will be screened in local cinemas from tomorrow.

Yesterday, Golden Screen Cinema decided not to screen the movie following an advisory issued by the Penang government to all local cinema operators.

A statement from GSC today said the movie "will resume screening in GSC locations in the state from Saturday onwards following the state government's clarification yesterday that the directive issued earlier was meant as an advisory (and not a directive) to the cinema operators".

"The movie falls under Finas 'Skim Wajib Tayang' (compulsory screening scheme) for local movies and has been approved by the Censorship Board with the classification of P13," said GSC Corporate Communications and Branding department spokesperson Esther Chew.

Earlier, Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the controversial movie by director Shuhaimi Baba would hit cinemas in Penang starting tomorrow.

He said that Finas had been asked to ensure that the movie would be screened in cinemas in the state as scheduled.

This was despite the advisory issued by the Penang (MPPP) and Seberang Perai (MPSP) municipal councils yesterday to local cinema operators advising them against screeningf the movie.

The local councils acted on a directive from the Penang government on Wednesday, asking them to issue the advisory to the cinemas, citing threats to national harmony and "lies" depicted in several scenes as reasons for not screening the movie which opened nationwide yesterday.

However, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who issued the advisory said no action would be taken against the cinemas if they failed to comply with the request.