Filem tempatan patut ditayang tanpa babak dipotong, kata Teo

Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian film industry should not be edited for local audiences, according to Communications Minister's Deputy Teo Nie Ching. She cited Tiger Stripes, a film which won the top prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival but had some scenes cut before it was cleared for local screenings. Directed by Amanda Nell Eu, Tiger Stripes won the Critics’ Week Award at Cannes and was selected as Malaysia's representative for the 2024 Oscars, known as the Academy Awards.

However, Eu was dissatisfied with the edits made to the Malaysian version of the film, stating that it was no longer her original work. It is strange that a film can represent Malaysia on the international stage, yet local audiences are denied the opportunity to see the complete film in our own cinemas, Teo said in the House of Representatives.

She defended allowing some films classified for 18-year-old viewers to be screened without certain cuts, stating that this was a positive step for the Malaysian film industry. Teo added that filmmakers should be allowed to present their work while adhering to censorship regulations. She said the Film Censorship Board (LPF) still has the final say in determining what can be screened in cinemas.

"We must also respect the work produced by the local film industry," she said. Teo responded to Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad (PN-Kepala Batas) regarding the rationale behind the PG 18 classification not being reviewed in the Malaysian film industry since then.