After meeting minister over language row, directors’ group restores backing for FFM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 ― The Film Directors' Association of Malaysia (Fdam) has reinstated its official support for the 28th Malaysia Film Festival (FFM) after accepting a minister's explanation that the national language's position will be upheld at the event.

Fdam vice-president Syed Zulkifli Syed Masir said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak clarified that FFM28 is in line with the Federal Constitution and a local law's provisions regarding the national language.

“Fdam will once again be together with FFM28 after hearing the minister's explanation that FFM does not go against the National Language Act, Malaysia's Constitution,” he told Malay Mail Online today.

“When we were made to understand that FFM is still upholding the Constitution, we came back,” he later added.

He cited the Federal Constitution's Article 152 and the National Language Act's Section 2, where the latter states that the national language shall be used for “official purposes” subject to the Act and constitutional safeguards for other communities' languages.

Among other things, Article 152 provides that the “national language shall be the Malay language”.

He said FFM is an event organised by the government and would be considered an official event in which the National Language Act's provision applied.

On how the national language will be upheld in the FFM28, Syed Zulkifli said Fdam was leaving that matter to the festival organisers.

“As long as they are in line with the Constitution, we are OK,” he said.

Last week, Fdam had objected to the recognition of works not in Bahasa Malaysia for national-level awards, with Syed Zulkifli explaining that the association wanted the newly-created Best Film in National Language to be elevated to be the most prestigious award of FFM.

Fdam had also said then it was retracting support for FFM, with Syed Zulkifli explaining that it was up to the association's members to decide if they should withdraw from the festival.

But with Fdam's decision today to return and give its “full support” to FFM, that would no longer be an issue, he said.

Syed Zulkifli said he met the minister today with Fdam president Othman Hafsham, confirming that the association's executive committee were informed of the meeting.

He confirmed the meeting today with the minister was also attended by the Malaysia Film Producers Association (PFM) and Professional Film Workers Association of Malaysia (Profima), but declined to comment on the stand of the two other groups.

When asked yesterday whether PFM agrees with Fdam's call for the Best Film in National Language award to be made the main award of FFM, PFM president Datuk Yusof Haslam told Malay Mail Online “no comment”.

On Wednesday, the Communications and Multimedia Ministry decided to open up the FFM’s Best Picture category — previously restricted to films with 70 per cent Bahasa Malaysia content — to all films. It also created the Best Film in National Language category.

The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) as the festival organiser said on Thursday that it was abolishing all three non-Bahasa Malaysia categories at the 28th FFM, with films previously in these categories automatically placed in the main award categories of Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director.

The non-Bahasa Malaysia category for Best Picture was introduced in 2011, while the non-Bahasa Malaysia categories for Best Screenplay and Best Director were introduced this year.

The 28th FFM will run from September 1 to September 3.