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By SALHAN K. AHMADThe Star
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has banned entertainment programme Sensasi, which is aired live on TV3, with immediate effect following a controversial comment by a local artiste.
Rosnah Mat Aris was said to have uttered words that were deemed by some as an insult to Prophet Muhammad’s wife.
In its investigations, MCMC found that the programme's live show on Jan 30 had failed to abide by the approval conditions and that the television station had failed to control inappropriate content.
“With this, TV3 has been asked to stop the live broadcast of the show with immediate effect,” the commission said in a statement yesterday.
MCMC corporate communications head Adelina Iskandar said the entire Sensasi programme should have “contributed to the national aspiration and not offend the sensitivity or values of the community.”
She said that TV3 should abide with procedures and obtain the Film Censorship Board’s approval should it wish to produce the show as a recording.
The statement did not clearly state if Rosnah’s comments had insulted Prophet Muhammad’s wife.
However, public reaction as reported by the media suggested that what she said should not have been connected to the Prophet’s family.
Adelina stressed that the requirement to be sensitive to the community’s feelings was contained not only in the Content Code and the Special Licence Conditions but also in the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998.
The one-hour programme hosted by Awal Ashari and artiste Intan Azura is aired on Tuesdays at 11pm and panel members from the arts and entertainment industry are invited to share their views.
In a slot last month, Rosnah when answering a question, had linked a piece of gossip about her (Rosnah) with the age of Prophet Muhammad’s first wife, Siti Khadijah.
Her short statement had caused a huge controversy.
Viewers had also sent in letters expressing their regret over her statement.
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Thanks a lot to MCMC for this quite immediate action. Finally the Government is doing 'something' right. Let me remind you again, something. Not everything. You ought to know that somehow.
It might be due to beuraucracy, or maybe due to the big wave that hit the whole country after the incident. Or maybe better, they too felt that it was wrong of her to utter such words.
Well, for what it may be, the action had been taken, and kudos to MCMC, again.
Yet, one thing still remains silent, TV3. Honestly, after all the incident, TV3 is the one who had been quiet. After all, it was their show, right? Wasn't it them who actually owned the show, and aired in all over the country.
Think again, it was not just about Miss Rosnah Mat Aris (RMA). Yes, she was wrong, at that time, for using such harsh words when they were other, better words which could sound less provocating, if not using non-provocating words at all. Alhamdulillah, in the end she made a public apology through Melodi.
Then again, in the same show, there were people clapping their hands after she said the unwanted words. Should they all be forgiven, just like that, after RMA apologized? No, since RMA apologized for her words, not the actions of the live-viewers.
So, what should it be? A full-apology of all the live-viewers who clapped their hands and shouted "Yeah!" during the show? For God sake that is nearly impossible, but for TV3 to address a public apology, that is practical, feasible, possible. What's the point of having a great broadcasting channel, especially with the 1-hour Buletin TV3 if they could not even spend one minute, just to say "We're sorry for the show". To me, that is enough.
"You kill a mosquito today, and tomorrow more mosquitos are born"
It might be due to beuraucracy, or maybe due to the big wave that hit the whole country after the incident. Or maybe better, they too felt that it was wrong of her to utter such words.
Well, for what it may be, the action had been taken, and kudos to MCMC, again.
Yet, one thing still remains silent, TV3. Honestly, after all the incident, TV3 is the one who had been quiet. After all, it was their show, right? Wasn't it them who actually owned the show, and aired in all over the country.
Think again, it was not just about Miss Rosnah Mat Aris (RMA). Yes, she was wrong, at that time, for using such harsh words when they were other, better words which could sound less provocating, if not using non-provocating words at all. Alhamdulillah, in the end she made a public apology through Melodi.
Then again, in the same show, there were people clapping their hands after she said the unwanted words. Should they all be forgiven, just like that, after RMA apologized? No, since RMA apologized for her words, not the actions of the live-viewers.
So, what should it be? A full-apology of all the live-viewers who clapped their hands and shouted "Yeah!" during the show? For God sake that is nearly impossible, but for TV3 to address a public apology, that is practical, feasible, possible. What's the point of having a great broadcasting channel, especially with the 1-hour Buletin TV3 if they could not even spend one minute, just to say "We're sorry for the show". To me, that is enough.
"You kill a mosquito today, and tomorrow more mosquitos are born"
