KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Malaysian media should not be resigned to local restrictions on reporting, a documentary maker said at a forum on censorship tonight.

Citing his own experience with his documentary titled "Operasi Nasi Kerabu : Finding Patani In An Islamic Insurgency”, filmmaker Zan Azlee said was still able to find an audience for the work despite unexpected censorship.

He told attendees at the "Media Censorship - Censored Creativity in Malaysia?” that when a television channel was allegedly ordered not to air the piece, he opted to write a book and produce DVDs of the documentary.

"It is surprising that when the broadcaster refused to air the documentary, I was still able to show the people of my work through books and DVDs,” he said.

The forum was held at UCSI University for its student and was moderated by Malay Mail Online assistant news editor Zurairi AR.

Other panellists included author Amir Muhammad, creative group head from Leo Burnett Jovian Lee and journalist Patrick Lee.