The Communications and Multimedia Content Forum Malaysia (CMCF), National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas), and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) are set to meet the producers of the drama series "Madu atau Racun" and the streaming platform iQIYI today to seek a detailed explanation over controversial content in the show [1, 2, 3, 4].
The series has sparked public outcry for including themes touching on religious and racial sensitivities, including alleged LGBTQ+ elements. These aspects have drawn sharp criticism for being inappropriate by Malaysian audience standards [2, 4]. The drama stars Aliff Aziz, Uqasha Senrose and Elisya Sandha [2].
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil stated, "The government wishes to emphasise that we will not compromise with any production party that touches on religious and racial sensitivities in their work. Creative freedom must be accompanied and balanced with the responsibility to respect religious values, social harmony, and racial and cultural sensitivities that form the foundation and pillar of our national unity" [1]. He reiterated that balancing creative freedom with cultural sensitivities is imperative [4].
The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), led by Minister Zulkifli Hasan, also disapproved the streaming of the series. Hasan said, "The department regrets the inclusion of elements that touched on religious sensitivities and local cultural norms, whether explicitly or implicitly" [4].
Currently, Finas has regulatory authority over films and cinema but lacks full jurisdiction over over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms such as iQIYI, which are not yet fully subjected to licensing frameworks [2, 3, 4]. Finas CEO Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib noted the agency does not have the legal authority to remove "Madu atau Racun" from streaming platforms due to existing legal constraints [2, 4].
Authorities said they will investigate the matter thoroughly and take appropriate action if they find any violations of guidelines or regulations [2, 3, 4]. The meeting today aims to clarify the content concerns and determine the next steps.
