Disney’s Beauty And The Beast is enjoying a fantastic run in its offshore and domestic debut this weekend with full numbers to come later today. As reported last week, the film is not screening in Malaysia after the local censor approved it with what was characterized as “a minor cut involving a gay moment.” Disney then postponed the release, saying the film “has not been and will not be cut for Malaysia.”
In an interview with the New Sunday Times that was posted today, Malaysia censorship board Chairman Abdul Halim now says the organization had proposed four minutes and 38 seconds’ worth of cuts. That appears to contradict what he earlier told the AP. Today, he says what the board found questionable were “three parts,” the first “during the performance of a song where a male character (LeFou) hugs the other (Gaston) from behind. Secondly is the suggestive song lyrics with sexual innuendos and the third is a scene that takes place at the end of the movie,” Halim told the newspaper.
Halim suggests that the film might have passed with “a potentially minor cut.” But, he says, “people became curious” following the situation in Russia where the film was given a 16+ rating and “we had to protect ourselves.”
Sex between men is illegal in Malaysia. On screen, gay characters are allowed to be depicted, but only if they show repentance or are portrayed in a negative light. “Malaysia does not recognize the LGBT ideology,” Halim says in the NST interview. “So we have to be extra cautious in our work. We have our responsibilities to the country, the people and our constitution. If we let these scenes pass, people will wonder if Malaysia recognizes LGBT.”
The submission process is ongoing and Halim says the Film Appeals Committee, a separate body to the censorship board, is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to screen the film. It has the power to reverse the board’s decision.
Halim would not comment on whether the board is revising its 2010 guidelines under which it currently operates. Those guidelines, he said, cover “ideology and politics; religion, national security and peace; as well as social norms. Movies with counter-culture elements like the scenes in Beauty And The Beast went against social norms.”
Halim did allow there has been upset locally that the film hasn’t been released which he calls “a natural knee-jerk reaction because they were looking forward to the movie. Their children wanted to watch it with their parents. But later on if they get to see it, they will get to know the real story and why we did what we did. On our part, we have a job to do and we can’t make mistakes. If there is public outcry when the movie is already released, we will have to bear the consequences.”
