Film Censorship Board of Malaysia

The Film Censorship Board of Malaysia is a Malaysian government ministry that vets films. It is under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Board was established under the Film Censorship Act, and its role was revised in 2002 under an updated version of the Act. Any film that is to be screened in Malaysia must be certified by the Board. Under the provisions of the Act, no one is allowed to view any film that has not been licensed by the Board.

The same Act also bans the possession and/or screening of pornography or provocative materials. Screening of such films in public even in good faith can subject the screener to fines/imprisonment.[1]

The Board watches the uncensored film or programme and decides whether its content is acceptable for a Malaysian audience. The film receives approval only after the Board is satisfied that the film (either without cuts or with cuts required by the Board) satisfies the rules under which the Board operates.

Any film passed with compulsory cuts must have the cuts made by the distributor before the film is released/screened. This is accomplished either by having the studio produce an edited version (in the case of digital or television screenings) or by physically removing (cutting out) the offending section on the film itself. Screening films with compulsory cuts in its unedited form can make the distributor and cinema operator or television station operator legally liable.[2][3]

Rating system

Since 1 April 2012, the following ratings have been used:

Symbol Description TV screening time
U General viewing for all ages Anytime
P13 Parental guidance is advisable for children below 13 years old Not allowed between 6:00 to 10:00 PM (weekdays), 6:00 to 12:00 PM (weekends)
18 For 18+ with elements for mature audiences (violence, horror, sex, politics, religion, counter-culture) 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
Malaysian film classification logos showing (from left to right) U, P13, and 18 in blue, orange and red circles with a white area below each letter with the logo of the Film Censorship Board in it. Title text above reads "LOGO KLASIFIKASI FILEM MALASIA" (Film Classification Logos of Malaysia).
One of the official logos are displayed before TV programs aired on local stations and cinematic films in Malaysia to indicate its rating.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sex video case: Datuk T trio fined for showing obscene film (Updated)". The Star Online (Malaysia). 24 June 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2011. [...] fined RM3,000 [...] and RM1,500 [...] respectively, for openly displaying an obscene film at Carcosa Seri Negara on March 21 [, 2010].
  2. ↑ "GSC to explain screening of uncut version of "Aire Libre"". The Star Online (Malaysia). 12 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011. Golden Screen Cinema Sdn Bhd (GSC) and the distributor of Aire Libre have been asked to explain why the film was screened to the public without cuts.
  3. ↑ "TV3 Mohon Maaf Kesilapan Penyiaran Adegan Bogel Emile Hirsch". Harian Metro Online (in Malay) (Malaysia). 11 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012. Stesen televisyen TV3 pada Selasa memohon maaf kepada penonton negara ini terhadap penyiaran adegan kurang sopan dalam filem Into The Wild yang disiarkan menerusi saluran itu pada 24 Mac lalu.

External links