Veteran film critic Mansor Puteh described the decision to scrap the segregation between the national language and non-national language for the awards at the 28th Malaysia Film Festival (FFM) as a blow for non-Bahasa Malaysia filmmakers.

Mansor said in his personal view, the language segregation would have helped non-national language films to win the awards.

"Don't look down on Bahasa Malaysia films because even though some have gangsters as the theme, at least there are messages that can be taken away.

"The one that stands to lose out are non-Bahasa Malaysia film because it is the jury that will choose the winner and they have to follow the set rules, who can force them? Not even the minister.

"Now, there is a high likelihood that they will not have a chance to win after the categories have been combined," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.