The responsive Home Minister
Ballsy Home Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is slowly but consistently proving that he is a ballsy Home Minister. Following the controversy raised on the seamless public screening on 22 August 2013 of “The New Village” through the GSC cinema circuit, which is suspiciously promoting subliminal Chinese Chauvinism in the promotion of the Malayan Communist Party were the ‘true Independent fighters’, the film has now been suspended.
The Malaysian Insider:
MALAYSIA
Screening of “The New Village” suspended
BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY
JULY 28, 2013
LATEST UPDATE: JULY 28, 2013 10:39 PMThe home ministry has suspended the screening of a local Chinese movie, “The New Village”, which was set to open in cinemas on Aug 22, pending another review by the Censorship Board.
The movie is said to promote communism.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) said the decision was made following a furore created by social media bloggers and non-governmental organisations on the movie’s content.
“We have to postpone the premiere date pending another thorough look into the movie’s plot,” he said today in Sungai Buloh.
The movie was to open on Aug 22,Ahmad Zahid said the Censorship Board which is under the purview of his ministry, will also look into claims by some that the movie carries strong elements of communism.
“The board will review the plot and the hidden messages in the movie.
“The new release date will be decided once the second review is completed.”
He said the ministry, however, will not hesitate to revoke the approval of the movie’s screening should the film be found to be hero-worshipping the Malayan Communist Party (PKM) and humiliating the country’s defence forces.
Ahmad Zahid said the Censorshhip Board received a review application from the producers on Sept 6, last year.
“It was viewed and censored by a three-men panel from the board and approved three days later.
He said a Certificate of Admittance A (permission to screen) was issued on Nov 9 last year.
The movie was rated as “Lulus Bersih” (no censorship) with a P13 classification.
“The censors felt that the scenes in the movie contained action shots which were not overdone to maintain its story flow.”
Ahmad Zahid said the movie also contained impressive battle scenes between the communists and camp commanders, which was also not overdone.
He noted that reports and comments published in newspapers and blogs about the movie were done based only on the trailer of the film, which was uploaded onto the internet.
Ahmad Zahid’s decision comes following a stinging weekend piece in Mingguan Malaysia by Awang Selamat questioning how Putrajaya allowed the release of “The New Village”, which it said, glorified communism.
Awang Selamat, the moniker representing the paper’s collective editorial voice, said another locally-made movie on nationalism, “Tanda Putera”, on the events surrounding the May 13 riots, had triggered widespread criticisms after snippets of the movie were leaked onlineAwang Selamat, said the screening of “Tanda Putera” had been postponed three times but will open in cinemas on Aug 29.
“Tanda Putera” is about the friendship and struggles of Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak and his deputy Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman in dealing with the May 13 tragedy in 1969.
Several opposition politicians, particularly those from the DAP, had objected to the way the movie had portrayed the party and its then secretary-general Lim Kit Siang.
Awang Selamat further alleged that the producer of “The New Village” wanted to rewrite history by highlighting the struggles of the communists.
“The production of the film appears to be an attempt to sanction the fight of the communists, including Chin Peng.”The movie was directed by Wong Kew Lit and produced by Astro Shaw. The cast does not include any Malay or Indian artists.
The movie is centred on the Emergency in Malaya in 1949 and portrays the Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) and the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) as fighters for independence, said Awang Selamat.
It also showcases the actions of the British against the Chinese during the emergency. The film focuses on MPAJA, which was linked to the communist party, said Awang Selamat.
In a related development, Bernama reports the Communication and Multimedia Ministry has asked the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) to review the content of “The New Village”.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, said the move was necessary to ensure no film which adversely affects or causes negative feelings among Malaysians was screened.
“For me, if the movie promotes communism and causes racial misunderstanding, we will not hesitate to stop its screening.
“I have directed Finas to relook the film to see if there are issues which could bring undesirable consequences and we will not hesistate to take the appropriate action,” he said.
Ahmad Shabery, who is Kemaman MP, was speaking to reporters after treating 120 orphans and needy children from around the Kemaman parliamentary constituency to buy Hari Raya clothes at a supermarket here.
He said Finas can ban the movie if it was proven to raise racial sentiments, but he requested people not to condemn the film based only on the trailer. – July 28, 2013.************
On the other hand, these Chinese Chauvinists have been trying to stop the public screening of “Tanda Putera” which now has been scheduled to 29 August 2013.
Although the film is about true accounts instead of just a true story about the lives of Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman between May 1969 – Jan 1976, it was viciously attacked as if Shuhaimi Baba’s work is promoting racism.
Emperissimo of DAP Chinese Chauvinism Lim Kit Siang intolerably but rabidly led the charge although he has not even watched the film.
The fact is that as a high ranking DAP official, he was one of the “Radical and subversive elements” which fanned anti-Malay hatred and brought about the Chinese to intensely insult and provoke the Malays before, during and after the 3GE campaign in May 1969. That sparked the racial riots.
Putera-AMCJA flag at the eve of 55th Mederka celebrations at Dataran Merdeka
They did not stop there.
The continued to skew historical facts with the intellectual arguments that the nationalists amongst the Malays and UMNO weren’t the true fighters against the British rule but instead the leftists and radicals.
They were consistent about this manipulation, aimed to capture the imagination of young Malaysians and Non Malyas especially the Chinese.
The attempts to picture the “Radical and subversive elements” as the true Merdeka fighters instead of the right wing nationalists such as UMNO, is getting more bold and apparent.
They even brought about the Putera-AMCJA flag during 55th Merdeka eve celebrations.
The objective is very clear. The minority wants political power over the majority.
The way for them as minority to gain power is to downplay the support and influence of UMNO on the Malays and instead open them to the notion of throwing their support on an artificial ‘equal-opportunity’ political force such as the Chinese Chauvinist DAP.
The other sinister way is through the ‘Politics of Hatred’ strategy where all law enforcement agencies and authorities, especially led and controlled by the Malays are systematically and progressively but with intensity being demonised.
Home Minister Dr. Zahid’s stance on issues like EO, Sedition Act and decisiveness on a film that without any doubt be a controversy, is expected to be welcomed by the majority amongst the Malays although vile attacks would be expected from the Chinese especially by the DAP.
Probably the opinion of ‘Adviser’ to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and an avid historian Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim Ph.D on the skewed history bit on story line of the pro-Chinese Chauvinist film “The New Village”.
This is because Gen. Sir Harold Briggs’s ‘Briggs Plan’ only came into being after he had arrived in Malaya in late 1950, unlike pictured in the film as 1949.
After all, it was Dr Rais who worked so hard to ensure that “Tanda Putera” miss the scheduled public screening through the cinema circuits last year, twice.
*Updated 2330hrs
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