Religious minister calls for review of dramas with ‘sensual scenes’

Religious affairs minister Zulkifli Hasan has called for a thorough review of several dramas with sensual scenes and manipulative elements, whether presented as art or social awareness. The minister believes that while the intention may be to convey reality, provocative marketing presentations can overshadow the educational message.

Zulkifli warns that the circulation of overly explicit scenes on social media could normalize harmful behavior and negatively impact the emotional development of teenagers. He emphasizes that those in the creative industry and media platforms should prioritize values and principles that uphold faith over viewership figures and commercial profits.

Zulkifli's remarks come two days after the government announced it was reviewing the screening of the 12-part drama series Madu atau Racun due to elements touching religious sensitivities and local cultural norms. Chinese video streaming platform iQIYI has temporarily removed all six released episodes and postponed the screening of the remaining six, with all 12 episodes set to undergo editing and content review before being returned to the platform.

Zulkifli also plans to strengthen guidelines from the Islamic development department (Jakim) for the screening of Islamic-themed content, stating that great art should touch the soul without crossing shariah boundaries.