'Mentega Terbang' promotes apostasy, threatens public order: Saifuddin

Saifuddin Nasution Ismail contended that “Mentega Terbang” promoted apostasy among Muslims and threatened public order in Malaysia.

The home minister made the assertion in an affidavit that justified the banning of the movie last year.

In the response filed against the filmmakers’ court bid to lift the ban, Saifuddin (above) said the film advocated religious pluralism and liberalism that can cause Muslims to question their faith.

The minister noted that “Mentega Terbang” promoted apostasy via the idea of Muslims having the freedom to change religion via their own wishes.

“I have viewed the movie to evaluate its contents.

“I found the film portrayed the main character Aisyah and her parents as Muslims, but who did not hold on to ‘akidah Islam’ (Islamic theology) and performed actions contrary to Islamic principles,” Saifuddin said in the affidavit sighted by Malaysiakini.

The minister noted that the movie was initially shown in closed-door viewing in 2021, and incited public uproar when it was made available on a streaming platform last year.

“Around 30 police reports were lodged by Muslims throughout Malaysia against the film, where on the whole they were dissatisfied and opposed the film which contravened ‘akidah Islam’ and Muslims’ way of life, insulted Islam and affected the sensitivities of Muslims in the country,” he said.

Saifuddin said the police’s Special Branch, the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), and the Federal Territory Mufti’s Office made similar findings.

He added that the movie was never presented to the ministry’s censorship board for approval.

The film tells the story of 15-year-old Aisyah, who in the face of her mother’s death, gets drawn into exploring the concept of rebirth as contained in other religions.

Her father is shown as having no issues with his daughter studying the holy scriptures of other religions in search of an answer.

‘Characters remained Muslims, no apostasy’

In a counter-affidavit, “Mentega Terbang” director Mohd Khairianwar Jailani denied the apostasy claim, noting the fictional characters remained Muslims at the end of the movie.

Khairianwar rubbished the allegation the film threatened public order, pointing out that it received wide media coverage when shown at the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from Nov 27 to Dec 4, 2021.

The director claimed that the Federal Territory Mufti’s Office’s full evaluation actually admitted the film is a good effort to raise public awareness of the plurality of society (masyarakat majmuk) and religious diversity (kepelbagaian agama).

“I deny that the movie promotes apostasy or threatens chaos among Muslims,” Khairianwar said.

The duo’s judicial review is set for hearing before the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Oct 17.

Lawyer Zaid Malek is acting for Khairianwar and “Mentega Terbang” producer Tan Meng Kheng in the civil court action.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers is representing Saifuddin and the federal government targeted by the judicial review.

Khairianwar and Tan are facing an ongoing separate criminal court case over the alleged hurting of the religious feelings of others.

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COMMENT | Drop charges on Mentega Terbang's filmmakers