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New Villages in Malaya, from 1950: 450 new settlements, 500,000 people…
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IT’S NOW UTUSAN WHO GOES AFTER NAMEWEE!
Utusan, “Apa lagi dia mahu? (What else does he want?)
Malaysian Insider
Now, Utusan goes after Namewee for supporting The New Village film
The Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has found a new target, or rather an old punching bag – Malaysian rapper Namewee (pic).
Its Mingguan Malaysia weekly’s columnist Awang Selamat today called Namewee racist, childish and a person who did not know his history – saying he was being an extremist for voicing out against the decision to halt the screening of the film “The New Village”, which some said had glorified communism.
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“Although there were objections and provocation especially from extreme groups, let them be. Don’t budge. Among those who had rudely voiced their objections was Namewee or Wee Meng Chee,” wrote Awang, a pseudonym used by Utusan’s editors in the weekly edition.
“He (Namewee) had several times caused a controversy including insulting the ‘Negara Ku’. Not long ago, Namewee, (after apologising for his rudeness), had support from political leaders including Mohamed Nazri Aziz, but not this time.”
Awang said Nazri, who is now the Tourism and Culture Minister, too reacted against Namewee.
“I understand why Nazri would be so angry and no longer sympathises with him. This was because Namewee is racist, had gone overboard and took lightly the government’s decisions,” he wrote.
“Apa lagi dia mahu? (What else does he want?)
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NAMEWEE DEFENDS THE VILLAGE IN HIS INIMITABLE WAY, AND PERKASA ATTACKS HIM IN THEIR USUAL STYLE.
Malaysiakini
The Malay rights pressure group Perkasa want the authorities to take action against filmmaker Namewee for criticising the government for ordering a review of The New Village, which resulted in the film’s premier being delayed.
Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kassim said Namewee had behaved excessively in his video blog posting on Youtube, where he ranted about double standards to the authority’s approach to the film industry.
“Although the film (The New Village) is about the Communist Party in Malaysia once ago, but it’s all no more than history.
“You can’t ban a movie simply because some idiots made some brainless complaint! That’s unacceptable, you know?” he said, while pointing out that another controversial film Tanda Putera was due to be screened on Aug 29.
Tanda Putera has been delayed multiple times since last year for due to criticisms about its portrayal of the May 13, 1963 riots.
As for The New Village, it was supposed to be released on Aug 22, but the Home Ministry has ordered the Film Censorship Board to review the film following complaints by Umno Youth exco member Lokman Adam that the film “glorifies communism”.
Namewee’s own film affected.
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In addition, Namewee also complained over his own problems with film regulators especially with his latest film Kara King, which was released on Aug 1.
He said the film has been delayed since Chinese New Year and regulators only provided him with the Aug 1 date on a very short notice.
As a result, he was unable to do promotional work nor release the film simultaneously in several countries as planned.
“No one knew when Kara King will be released. Only you alone know. I was notified a few moments ago. Without proper promotion, who is going to watch my movie? What should I do?” he said.
Perkasa growls at Namewee over The New Village
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THE NEW VILLAGE
FILMING SUSPENDED PENDING ANOTHER REVIEW BY THE CENSORSHIP BOARD!
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Star
Friday August 2, 2013 MYT 12:09:19 PM
Rapper Namewee pitches into New Village controversy
KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial rapper Namewee has added his voice to the furore over local movie The New Village, saying that the call to halt the movie’s screening showed double standards.
In his YouTube video entitled 017 Double Standard uploaded on Thursday, Namewee decried the call by some quarters for the Film Censorship Board to review the movie before allowing it to be screened.
Namewee, who is also an actor and director, said it was an unreasonable move as The New Village tells the history of communism in Malaya.
Namewee slams New Village review
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Malaysian Insider
Side Views
Tanda Putera/New Village: Who mentioned banning? – Kua Kia Soong
The decision by the Film Censorship Board to review the film The New Village after having already given it the green light makes a mockery of our nation’s laws, policies and commitment to the right to freedom of expression.
According to its chairman Datuk Raja Azahar Raja Abdul Manap, “It has followed the guidelines such as religious and socio-cultural sensitivity…When the new issue of glorifying communism came up; we have to review the film all over again.” (The Star, 30.7.2013)
First, such a statement exposes a total lack of professionalism and integrity on the part of the Censorship Board simply because of the pressure from communalist politicians. The UMNO Youth chief had queried why the film was given an “easier ride” by the board as compared to Tanda Putera.
The question is: Did the board watch the film or not when they approved it in the first place? Couldn’t the board members make up their minds as to whether or not the film “glorifies communism”? We have a situation of the board having watched the whole film and passing it, and an UMNO Youth chief who has not watched the whole film and thinks it “glorifies communism”!
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Tanda Putera was never banned
The Umno Youth chief is wittingly trying to mislead the public. The film Tanda Putera (TP), which was financed by Malaysian taxpayers through FINAS was never banned by the censorship board.
It was strategically withheld (which is a slap in the face for the film director!) by the powers- that-be in UMNO because they thought that after the storm of outrage from the public, they did not want to risk losing votes in the 13th general election.
Nonetheless, TP was shown to selected Malay audiences – the intended target of the film – in a university and a FELDA settlement. Was this subsidised by Malaysian taxpayers as well?
It is only now, after the 13th general election when the BN lost more than 80 per cent of the Chinese votes, that it is “payback time” and the Umnoputras feel that the time is ripe for TP to be on general release.
So the Umno Youth chief should take note – TP was never given a rough ride at all in the first place! It was voluntarily withheld by the Umno big chiefs for strategic reasons.
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The Film Censorship Board should bear in mind that freedom of expression cannot be suppressed on account of threats by philistine politicians… it would be tantamount to negation of the rule of law and surrender to blackmail and intimidation.
And the government should have learnt by now that all such flip flops in cultural policies because of the antics of little napoleons only make us look like a banana republic in a rapidly transforming world. – July 30, 2013
* Dr Kua Kia Soong is an adviser to human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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Malaysiakini
The makers of ‘The New Village’, a film set in the height of the communist insurgency, said that the film had survived the censors untouched in September last year.
“The movie has undergone all due processes including LPF screening, and was given a P13 classification with no cuts,” said the filmmakers on the movie’s official Facebook page.
However, the film is currently being reviewed again by the Film Censorship Board (LPF), which is under the purview of the Home Ministry.
The filmmakers described their product as a “period feature film in Mandarin” that “depicts a forbidden love story”.
“This Chinese movie is set against the backdrop of the struggles of the Chinese communities in the resettlement into New Villages by the British,” read the post.
The filmmakers did not explicitly address accusations that the protagonist of the story was a communist insurgent.
Who is the protagonist?
Responding to critics on the Facebook page, the filmmakers stated that the focus of the movie was on the suffering of immigrant Chinese being herded into 480 “re-settlement camps” which became “new villages” as they are known today.
“‘The New Village’ is an attempt to remember the residents of these new villages throughout the country,” read one of the replies.
Filmmaker: ‘New Village’ a P13 love story
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UMNO MAN CALLS FOR FILM TO BE BANNED
Free Malaysia Today
Umno man wants ‘The New Village’ banned
Umno leader pressures government to ban the film which projects communists as heroes.
KUALA LUMPUR: An Umno leader wants the government to ban the controversial film ‘The New Village’ if it is found to depict communists as heroes.
Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Alhabshee also urged the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and Film Censorship Board (LPF) to declare why they had approved it for screening.
“Finas and LPF have not explained yet. It doesn’t make sense to only review its plot now; following many complaints by the public… the people will ask what they (Finas and LPF) have been doing before this?” Syed Ali said on his blog today.
Umno man wants ‘The New Village’ banned
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Malaysian Insider
Khairy ticks off Guan Eng over “communist ties” statement
Claims that the now-suspended “The New Village” film glorifies communism has spilled onto the political arena with a row brewing today between Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Lim criticised the film’s suspension today, pointing out that Umno Youth and the party-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia said the film had communist elements but failed to condemn Khairy for forging ties between the Barisan Nasional Youth and China’s Communist Youth League.
“How can Guan Eng not know the difference between Communist Party of Malaya (PCM) terrorists and China’s Communist Party? Comparing apples to durians to score cheap points,” the Youth and Sports Minister retorted on his Twitter microblogging account.
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Malaysiakini
The DAP has turned the tables on Umno Youth and the party-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia over their sincerity in opposing communism.
The party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in a statement today, even questioned Umno Youth’s ties to the Communist Party of China.
He questioned why were they silent when Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had on Oct 12, 2009, announced the setting up of a permanent secretariat to strengthen ties between Barisan Nasional Youth and the Communist Youth League of China (CYL).
Khairy had done that in his capacity as BN Youth chief.
“Clearly both Umno Youth and Utusan Malaysia are hypocrites and practise double-standards for failing to ask for action against Khairy for glorifying communism by forming an alliance between BN Youth and CYL,” said Lim.
“Khairy had said that the permanent secretariat would facilitate continuous bilateral programmes to promote a stronger bond between the two entities,” Lim recalled.
“This is not a government-to-government relationship but party-to-party direct linkage. And yet no action is taken when Khairy knowingly, consciously and intentionally establishes a direct linkage through a permanent secretariat with the CYL,” he said.
Lim was referring to Umno Youth exco member Lokman Noor Adam’s statement that the film The New Village glorified the Communist Party of Malaya as heroes while the British colonialists, the army and police are enemies and “bad people” who needed to be destroyed.
‘Why doesn’t Umno Youth query KJ’s links to reds?’
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Malaysian Insider
Screening of “The New Village” suspended
The home ministry has suspended the screening of a local Chinese movie, “The New Village”, which was set to open in cinemas on Aug 22, pending another review by the Censorship Board.
The movie is said to promote communism.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision was made following a furore created by social media bloggers and non-governmental organisations on the movie’s content.
“We have to postpone the premiere date pending another thorough look into the movie’s plot,” he said today in Sungai Buloh. – July 28, 2013
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/screening-of-the-new-village-suspended
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Malaysia Chronicle
unday, 28 July 2013 21:58
Zahid jumps in to review “hidden messages”: Screening of ‘The New Village’ suspended
Awang Selamat further alleged that the producer of “The New Village” wanted to rewrite history by highlighting the struggles of the communists.
“The production of the film appears to be an attempt to sanction the fight of the communists, including Chin Peng.”
The movie was directed by Wong Kew Lit and produced by Astro Shaw. The cast does not include any Malay or Indian artists.
The movie is centred on the Emergency in Malaya in 1949 and portrays the Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) and the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) as fighters for independence, said Awang Selamat.
It also showcases the actions of the British against the Chinese during the emergency. The film focuses on MPAJA, which was linked to the communist party, said Awang Selamat.
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The New Village (Mandarin)
The year is 1949. The nation is plunged into a state of emergency after a deadly clash between the British military administration and the Malayan Communist Party occurs. Some 500,000 Chinese villagers are resettled into 480 camps throughout the Malay Peninsula as a means to curb communist activity among the villagers. “The New Village”, which spans 40 years, revolves around a Hakka family and how they go about their daily lives after the British declared the state of emergency and beyond.
Classification: NA
Genre: Historical
General Release Date: 22 Aug 2013
Running Time:
Distributor: Gsc Movies
Cast: Lenna Lim, Kevin Soo, Teh Young, Kevin Soo, Jeff Chin, Khor Ewe Pin, Sam Chong, Bernard Hiew, Hui Mei
Director: Wong Kew-Lit
Format: 2D
http://www.cinema.com.my/movies/movie_contents.aspx?search=2012.8286.newvillage1949.15490
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Published on Jun 5, 2013
“The New Village” adalah sebuah filem yang menceritakan kesusahan dan kesengsaraan bangsa cina semasa zaman penjajahan British di tanah air ini. Seramai 500,000 penduduk cina tempatan telah dipaksa oleh British pindah masuk ke 480 buah “re-settlement camps” di seluruh semenanjung malaya dari tahun 1949 hingga 1954. “Re-settlement camps” tersebut sebenarnya adalah Kampung Baru Cina (New Village). Pada hari ini. masih terdapat 450 buah Kampung Baru Cina di seluruh Malaysia dan diduduki oleh lebih daripada satu juta bangsa cina. Kesemua Kampung Baru tersebut mempunyai sejarah yang agak sama. “The New Village” ingin memberi penghargaan tinggi kepada penghuni-penghuni Kampung Baru Cina di seluruh Malaysia.
这是一部向马来西亚华族先辈致敬的电影。献给所有经历过1948年－1960年紧急状
态时期被强行迁入全国480个集中营那段苦难历史的50万华人。
This film is dedicated to our forefathers, especially the 500,000 local Chinese forcing to be resettled in 480 New Village camps during 1948-1960 Emergency period in the Malay Peninsula.
《新村》电影面子书专页 Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/TheNewVillage..
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Malaysiakini
Umno Youth exco Lokman Noor Adam has hit out at the upcoming release of the film ‘The New Village’ that he claims glorifies communism.
He queried how the film could be so easily approved for screening while the film ‘Tanda Putera’ that is set during the May 13, 1969 racial riots had been delayed repeatedly.
“Just because ‘Tanda Putera has some scenes of DAP’s role in causing May 13, the film that is filled with the sacrifices of (former prime minister) Abdul Razak Hussein and (former deputy prime minister) Ismail Abdul Rahman, had been frozen.
“More saddening, now there is ‘The New Village’ that subtly glorifies the Malayan Communist Party as heroes and puts the Malay Army Regiment and police who served together with the British as enemies and ‘bad people’ that needed to be destroyed,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He asked how the film and similar books that he claimed ‘twist historical facts and incite people’ could be allowed to flourish.
“I urge the cabinet to relook its policies about the production of such films and books,” he said.
He also called for the immediate screening of Tanda Putera, which had been put on hold since last year.
Umno Youth sees red over Chinese new village film
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Malaysian Insider
Malaysia
Government has approved a movie that glorifies communists – Awang Selamat
Certain quarters that are racist and aggressive appear to be getting their way in Malaysia, said pro-Umno media Mingguan Malaysia’s columnist Awang Selamat.
The column said that while Putrajaya still baulked at allowing the showing of Tanda Putera, which aimed to put May 13 in perspective, it gave the nod to The New Village, a movie that glorifies the communist fight during the country’s emergency.
The New Village (TNV) is set to be screened in local cinemas on August 22, said Awang Selamat, pointing out that the screening of Tanda Putera had been postponed three times so far.
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The columnist further alleged that the producer of TNV wanted to rewrite history by highlighting the struggles of the communists.
“The production of the film appears to be an attempt to sanction the fight of the communists, including Chin Peng.
“It does not make sense that TNV got approval for screening from Finas while Tanda Putera is still stuck.”
TNV was directed by Wong Kew Lit and produced by Astro Shaw. The cast does not include any Malay or Indian artists.
The movie is centred on the Emergency in Malaya in 1949 and portrays the Parti Komunis Malaysia (PKM) and the Malayan People Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) as fighters for independence, said Awang Selamat.
TNV also showcases the actions of the British against the Chinese during the emergency. The film focuses on MPAJA, which was linked to the communist party, said Awang Selamat.
The columnist also questioned whether the government was biased in allowing TNV to go ahead, and not Tanda Putera. – July 28, 2013.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/government-has-approved-a-movie-that-glorifies-communists-awang-selamat
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