KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) has temporarily suspended the broadcast of the animated series Santiago of the Seas on TV2 following viewer complaints over the content of Episode 22 aired yesterday.
In a statement, the Public Relations Division of the Department of Broadcasting said RTM had taken note of several comments regarding the episode, which aired at 10am.
“Based on the Content Evaluation report and the checks conducted, there were no actions or displays of affection suggesting same-sex relationships, nor any elements pointing towards such behaviour.
“However, to ensure there are no elements that could raise doubt or touch on public sensitivities, RTM has halted the broadcast to conduct a more detailed review of the series,” it said.
Santiago of the Seas is a US-produced children’s animated series that premiered in 2020 on Nickelodeon, following young pirate Santiago and his friends on Caribbean-themed adventures. The show blends action with problem-solving lessons and incorporates Spanish phrases to support early language learning.
It is aimed at preschool and early school-age viewers and is distributed internationally, including on Malaysian free-to-air television network RTM. Kuala Lumpur-based Lemon Sky Studios worked on Seasons 1 and 2, handling 3D assets, animation, VFX, lighting and compositing — making it one of Nickelodeon’s first full animated series produced by a South-east Asian studio.
The suspension follows social media claims alleging that the cartoon aired on TV2 featured scenes linked to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) behaviour.
A Threads user had claimed he was shocked to see what he described as a scene of “two men kissing” while watching the show with his child.
RTM said it remains committed to ensuring all content broadcast adheres to ethics and does not cause discomfort to viewers.
“In this regard, RTM seeks the cooperation of all parties to avoid unwarranted speculation and to refer directly to RTM for further information,” it added.
