iQIYI to take down six ‘Madu atau Racun’ episodes

 All 12 episodes will be edited and reviewed before the streaming platform can resume screening the drama.

Finas CEO Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said iQIYI and the producer had apologised and agreed to consider feedback to improve the drama’s content. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR:

Streaming platform iQIYI has agreed to temporarily take down the six episodes of “Madu atau Racun” that have already been released, while the remaining six have been postponed to allow all 12 episodes to undergo editing and review.

National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) CEO Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said the decision was reached at a meeting with iQIYI and the relevant production company, following instructions from communications minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said iQIYI and the producer had also apologised and agreed to accept Finas’ feedback and the assessment panel’s views to improve the drama’s content.

“iQIYI and the producer are responsible for resolving the issue and have agreed to remove the episodes that have been uploaded temporarily,” he told reporters after the meeting at the Finas main building in Hulu Kelang here today.

Azmir said the episodes would be edited according to guidelines issued by the Film Censorship Board (LPF) and the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) for over-the-top (OTT) streaming content.

All 12 episodes would then be submitted to the panel for assessment, he said.

He said no date had been set for the drama to return to iQIYI, as the production team and iQIYI would first have to submit a revised version for assessment.

“Only after the panel is satisfied with the revised version will it be allowed to be shown to the public,” he said.

Azmir said content censorship was not within Finas’ responsibilities under the Finas Act, which covers areas including filming activities, industry workers, production companies and cinema licensing.

He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) currently regulated the internet and television stations, while the regulatory framework for OTT content was still being developed.

Azmir said Finas nevertheless has regulatory powers through the Filming Authentication Certificate (SPP), which is required for production companies in Malaysia, including those producing content for international platforms, OTT services and YouTube.

He said Finas was mulling adding further conditions to the SPP to allow action to be taken against production companies if their content caused public concern, offended religious and racial sensitivities, or affected social harmony.

Earlier today, religious affairs minister Zulkifli Hasan opposed the broadcast of “Madu atau Racun”, citing “deviant” elements that contravened Islamic teachings and local norms.

The 12-episode drama, produced by MIG Production Sdn Bhd and directed by Eyra Rahman, began streaming on iQIYI on Aug 14. It stars Aliff Aziz, Uqasha Senrose and Elisya Sandha. - FMT