A senior officer with the prime minister is said to have demonised electoral reform pressure group Bersih and news portal Malaysiakini after a screening of the controversial film ‘Tanda Putera’ at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) last weekend.

"After the screening, there was a session to review the film. The agenda included badmouthing the other races and inciting and creating hatred against Chinese (Malaysians)," claimed student group We Unite For Islam (Wufi) president Mohd Najib Abdul Rahim.

NONE Mohd Najib claimed the officer presented his 45-minute 'review' to more than 400 students who attended the two-hour long screening .

"He said foreign agents like Bersih and Malaysiakini have come to Malaysia to vilify the country.

"He also said that youths today no longer read Malay language dailies Utusan Malaysia or Berita Harian but read Malaysiakini instead.

"He then asked the audience to state who is behind Malaysiakini . To this, some students (jokingly) replied 'Apco'. Some said 'Jews' and some replied, 'Anwar Ibrahim'.

"The officer’s facial expression changed on hearing this, but he continued speaking," Mohd Najib said.

Malaysiakini has contacted the office of the officer concerned for a response.

The student leader, who had also watched the film, said the officer had vilified the opposition as well.

Commenting on the first 20 minutes of the film depicting events purportedly from the May 13, 1969, riots, Mohd Najib said he believed that the movie would create "unease" if screened to the general public.

NONE Among those present at the screening were UIA rector Prof Zaleha Kamaruddin, deputy rector for student affairs Associate Prof Mizan Hitam, and ‘Tanda Putera’ director Shuhaimi Baba (left) .

‘Tanda Putera' has passed the Film Censorship Board's scrutiny, but it has yet to be aired in cinemas amid allegations that its portrayal of the May 13 riots contained racial elements.

Last November, the cabinet said the movie was not appropriate to be screened in public.

On Feb 18, some 3,000 Felda settlers were treated to a closed-door screening of the film at the Putra World Trade Centre, at a function officiated by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Film review: Tanda Putera a double-edged sword