YOURSAY 'What makes me angry is we - you, me and all taxpayers - paid for this propaganda film and whatever happens, Shuhaimi has already made her money.'

Tanda Putera release postponed to 2013

Ferdtan: With the postponement of the racially-tainted film Tanda Putera, we know the general election will not be held this year.

This has proven true our suspicion that the film is slated to time with the coming election. The purpose is to get the Malay audiences all ‘worked up' after seeing the movie and hopefully will vote for Umno.

It is ridiculous that the film has been twice delayed without any reasons given by the producer and director of the film.

Director Shuhaimi Baba, by declining to comment on the delay but refer the matter to the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) director Naguib Razak or Information, Communications and Culture Ministry secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf, confirmed that Tanda Putera is an ‘Umno-booster' film.

Why must the decision be made by Finas and the government when it was supposed to be a private film, no doubt a government-funded one?

Abasir: The film's financiers are Umno-controlled entities (Finas and Multimedia Development Corporation, MDeC) They call the shots when it comes to the film's message, its target audience and the timing of its release.

Shuhaimi Baba is only a contractor hired to carry out an obvious political purpose. It is patently clear that the messaging must reach and remain ‘hot' with the target audience when they make their choices in the polling booth.

Opah: This is pure Umno propaganda which will be unleashed before GE13. What makes me angry is we - you, me and all taxpayers - paid for this propaganda film and whatever happens, Shuhaimi has already made her money.

Headhunter: They're trying to time it with the general election (GE). But it will probably end up as another lemon for BN.

Bumiasli: It's not about when Tanda Putera will be released, but why it should ever be released.

In a multi-racial country, anything that involves racism should be avoided, yet Finas approves a movie which highlights violence amongst the races due to some sinister political agenda.

May 13 should be a thing of the past and there is no need to remind the people of the ugly incident. BN is using this as a last card to probably create dissatisfaction amongst the Malays against the Chinese.

The movie will do more harm than good. Can't some related NGO protest against the showing of this movie?

Maplesyrup: Is it a mere coincidence that the GE is delayed till 2013? Shuhaimi and the people behind the film can deny all they want, but to say that the change in dates (second time at that) has nothing to do with the general election is really saying that they think Malaysians are stupid.

Odin: Suhaimi, you are afflicted with the same disease that Umno ministers are cursed with; it is called ‘taking-the-citizenry-for-fools-itis'.

Yes, a long name, and it is peculiar only to you and your paymasters. But as you can see from the comments of many of my fellow readers, we aren't fools.

We know that Tanda Putera is meant to be screened just before and during the coming elections. We also know that it is meant to incite hatred among the Malays towards the Chinese and the DAP.

This is very important to your paymasters in that when the results are out and the BN is confirmed defeated, a small spark will be created to start another round of racial riots.

Umno will declare a state of emergency as well as order the armed forces, the police, and groups of thugs such as Perkasa and Jati to target the Chinese, the opposition, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus, and it will use the renamed Internal Security Act to incarcerate those arrested at the five-star hotel in Kamunting. Yes?

Jiminy Qrikert: In GE12, MCA's Chew Mei Fun took on the task sowing fear among the Chinese by reminding them that to avoid a possible repeat of May 13, the Chinese needed to ensure a win for MCA, hence guaranteeing protection from Malays.

That was a fatal mistake for her and MCA - she did not realise the Chinese were way past fearing such a threat, veiled or otherwise.

MCA was almost completely wiped out in Selangor, taking only one state and one parliamentary seat.

Now, Umno thinks they can crap on Malays by using the same trick in reverse - scare the living daylights out of gullible Malays so that Malays will vote Umno.

Again, just as four years ago for MCA, Umno does not realise the Malays today are way past fearing such a manufactured force-fed threat.

If Umno uses it, they will see a parallel effect to that suffered by MCA - they will be wiped out in Pakatan Rakyat states which have more educated, socially aware and liberated Malays.

Penang is a possibility. So is Selangor. Perak maybe.

Ken: BN only knows how to play the politics of fear. Fear of May 13, fear of hudud, fear of Malays losing political power, fear of instability. They are the ultimate fear mongers.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .