KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 ― A veteran film director has chided corporate heavyweights Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Seri Nazir Razak for criticising the 28th Malaysia Film Festival Awards (FFM), claiming both of them had never given corporate support to the industry.

Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, who is the creative industries adviser for National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas), said Fernandes’ budget airline AirAsia and Nazir’s bank CIMB have allegedly never backed or sponsored any film festivals.

"Don't have to ride on this and inflame the situation, improve things at your own place such as services for AirAsia passengers and payment services at CIMB,” Ahmad was quoted in a report by local arts portal TabloidSeni.

"I say this because as far as I know these two individuals have never given corporate support towards the Malaysian film industry through their companies, whether through sponsorship of FFM or helping filmmakers.

"I have never heard AirAsia and CIMB giving sponsorship to help FFM or our film industry,” added Ahmad, also known by his nickname Mat London.

Fernandes is the CEO of AirAsia Group, while Nazir is the chairman of CIMB Group.

"Now Tony and Nazir care so much about FFM. I'm touched...but don't have to interfere in the FFM issue now,” he said.

Citing anecdotes, Ahmad claimed there were complaints against CIMB for refusing to offer bank loan for a film project, as well as AirAsia's alleged snubbing of a film production crew's request for discounts on flight tickets.

Ahmad, who reportedly has over 40 years of experience in the industry, said the corporate duo did not understand the reason behind the FFM controversy, insisting that only a small group of people were dissatisfied with the FFM awards categorisation.

He also called out purported racism in the film industry, giving examples of race-based associations representing non-Malays.

Nazir and Fernandes had weighed in on the 28th FFM and backed the vocal criticism within the film industry against the splitting of the festival's awards based on language.

When contacted, Fernandes declined comment.

The nominations of the two critically acclaimed movies — Chiu Keng Guan’s Ola Bola and Shanjhey Kumar Perumal’s Jagat — for Best Picture (non-Bahasa Malaysia) at the 28th FFM this year, instead of the main Best Picture category, had sparked public outrage as well as within the industry.