MalayMail-July 8
Local box-office hit Mat Kilau: Pahlawan Bangkit has drawn the ire from a Sikh non-governmental organization for its portrayal of non-Malay Muslim characters as villains. The group calling itself United Sikhs Malaysia noted that the film is fictional and based on a figure who fought against British imperialism in Pahang, seeking to show the spirit of the Malays in defending their homeland. “However, regretfully it portrays members of other races and religions as villains,” the group said in a statement today. The group said it found this portrayal of non-Malays and non-Muslims distasteful and hurtful to its community. “We believe this can lead to racial disharmony,” it added. “We humbly urge the Malaysian Film Industry NOT to produce movies at the expense of hurting religious and racial sentiments and those which have the potential to create religious and racial misunderstanding,” it said emphatically. Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan is a fictional historical action drama film set in the late 19th century during the British administration of Malaya. The film, starring Datuk Adi Putra as the legendary Malay warrior, along with Beto Kusyairi, Fattah Amin, Yayan Ruhan and Johan As’ari, opened in cinemas nationwide on June 23 and has reportedly raked in RM53 million in ticket sales in just 13 days. However, the movie has also drawn flak on its controversial portrayal of minority racial and religious communities on social media. Opposition lawmakers who helped promote the film by hosting free screenings have found themselves on the receiving end as well. Read more at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2022/07/08/sikh-group-regrets-villainous-portrayal-of-non-muslims-in-mat-kilau-film-claims-may-create-interracial-interreligious-tensions/16394
