KUALA LUMPUR, January 19 — Fred Chong, producer of the controversial movie trailer for Pulau, has stepped forward to clear the air, pointing out that the trailer showcased a mere one per cent of the whole film.
In a statement, Chong said he hoped that the public would refrain from making assumptions about the film before watching it in its entirety.
He also thanked the public for the overwhelming response, both positive and negative, and apologised if any party had been offended by the trailer.
"It’s not our intention to offend any party.
"All of our promotional materials such as posters and trailers have gone through the advance observation process by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (LPF) as well as through the Wajib Tayang list by the National Film Development Board (Finas).
"We have removed all the scenes that didn’t make the cut on our side, and we put our faith in the process of transparency and professionalism of the LPF and we respect their decision,” said Chong.
Meanwhile, according to a report by mStar, Chong said that the production team was trying to promote the beauty of Langkawi through the film.
"Our intention was to promote all these beautiful islands and their exotic views in Malaysia as can be seen in the trailer.
"We want to showcase Langkawi’s natural beauty through the film such as its natural sandy beaches, rainforest, hidden caves and waterfalls,” he said.
Chong added that the film also aimed to showcase a multicultural Malaysia through its cast.
"All of them come from a different and unique background such as the Malay, Chinese, Indian as well as Eurasian, thus representing the country’s unity.
"The local filming industry needs to show to local audiences that Malaysia is a family consisting of various races and cultures, living together in harmony.
"And I see Pulau as a perfect example of that,” he said.
The cast of Pulau includes local big names such as Alif Satar, Amelia Henderson, Sanjna Suri, as well as former glamour model, Ms PuiYi.
The trailer follows a group of friends vacationing together, and after a daring bet, sets out to a mysterious island where darkness awaits.
Previously, the Pulau trailer made headlines following some of its controversial hot and sexy scenes that have sparked public outrage online.
Following the outrage, LPF has issued a statement saying that the trailer that was submitted to them featured different content compared to its online release.
LPF added that since the trailer was released online, it does not fall under its jurisdiction, with online content under the purview of the Communication and Digital Ministry.
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that the producers of the film have agreed to take the trailer down and replace it with a more suitable one.
Pulau will hit cinemas this March 9, 2023.
