Govt 'hypocritical' to bask in Yeoh's Oscar win while curbing local films - LFL

 

It is “hypocritical and insincere” for the government to praise Hollywood star Michelle Yeoh for her Oscar win, while at the same time, “persecuting” local film producers and actors.

So said Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek, while commenting on the police probe against indie film ‘Mentega Terbang’.

“We refer to the praise that the prime minister and other government leaders have lavished upon Yeoh over her historic Oscar win for best actress for the movie ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’.

“It is hypocritical, insincere, and contradictory for government leaders and Finas (National Film Development Corporation) to sing praises for Yeoh’s win while hardworking local film producers and actors are subjected to harassment and criminal investigations over the content of their films,” Zaid said in a statement today.

Police have so far summoned ‘Mentega Terbang’ director Mohd Khairy Anwar Jailani for questioning over the movie, which allegedly goes against the Muslim creed.

Today, the cops are expected to record the statements of the film’s producer and cast members at 1pm in Bukit Aman.

Noting that ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’ contained LGBT themes in it, Zaid said that Yeoh herself would have been hauled up for police questioning if the movie was made in Malaysia.

Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek

“For the government to now ride on the coattails of Yeoh’s brilliant Oscar win is distasteful and ironical. Will the government now withdraw or repent its repressive actions against locally produced movies ‘Pulau’ and ‘Mentega Terbang’?

“Will they at least now stop kowtowing to the moral policing of zealots and give our film producers the artistic freedom to create great films?” Zaid asked.

‘Halt Mentega Terbang probe’

Zaid claimed that with the probe against ‘Mentega Terbang’, the Pakatan Harapan government has shown that it is “no different” from the previous governments in imposing excessive censorship on local films.

“Art, in any shape or form, is protected under the freedom of expression under Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution, and as such, it is the government’s duty to protect such artistic expression and not give way to certain groups to dictate what can and cannot be produced.

“When that is the measure of censorship, the scales would heavily favour the perceived majority at the expense of the minority, leading to a total erasure of realities that minority groups wish to tell through their chosen artistic medium.”

For the government to bask in the glory obtained by Malaysian artists abroad, it must first protect local products by upholding its rights safeguarded under the constitution, Zaid noted.

“The first step in the right direction in that regard would be to immediately halt ongoing investigations on all those involved in the ‘Mentega Terbang’ film and to stop using enforcement authorities to harass other local filmmakers and artists for their art in the future.

“Only then, can the local film and art scene truly flourish and the government would have a right to share in the glory of the achievements of Malaysian actors or filmmakers.”

‘Mentega Terbang’ is not the only local film to come under the radar of the local authorities in recent days.

Horror thriller ‘Pulau’, directed by Euho, previously faced backlash over scenes contained in its trailer and the film was even banned from being screened in Terengganu. - Mkini