The Malaysian Film Producers Association (PFM) said that nominees for the best film category in the Malaysian Film Festival has to have 70 percent of its dialogue in Malay.

This is to uphold the national language in local films presently and in the future, they said.

"For other languages, they will be considered in the best film (Non-Bahasa Malaysia) category in the 28th Malaysian Film Festival.

"These categories will also affect the best director and best screenplay categories," PFM said in a statement today.

This comes amidst news that Bahasa Malaysia and non-Bahasa Malaysia language films will be in separate categories, which has sparked outcry.

PFM said they are working together with the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) to find a practical mechanism for the future of the local film industry, taking into consideration the fact that Bahasa Malaysia is the official language of this country, along with the other languages in the country.

The approach that is taken must be done to maintain the country's identity based on the federal constitution, they said, as Malaysia is made up of many cultures, ethnicities, religions and languages.

For the upcoming 28th Malaysian Film Festival to be held on Sept 3, PFM will be regulating the judging and they have unanimously appointed Nancie Foo as the chairperson of the judging committee of the festival.

The disqualification of major Malaysian films of the year 'Ola Bola' and 'Jagat' from being nominated in the best film category in the festival has riled many.

Prominent filmmaker Afdlin Shauki has announced he will be boycotting the festival over this segregation.