After 'Thor' and 'Lightyear', Malaysian government vows to ban more LGBT films

The Malaysian government has confirmed that the Marvel movie 'Thor: Love and Thunder' was unable to be released in local cinemas due to its LGBT elements. A minister said on Wednesday that the government was committed to reducing gay culture.

The "Thor" and Pixar "Lightyear" animated films have been submitted by distributor Disney for classification and censorship by the country's Film Censorship Board (LPF). Variety understands that in both cases, the LPF requested cuts that the studio chose not to make, effectively depriving the footage of a theatrical release. "Lightyear" has been banned in at least 16 Muslim-majority countries.

"Recently, there was a movie that didn't pass censorship, it's the new movie 'Thor'," said Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Zahidi Zainul Abidin. "[The film] touched on LGBT, but right now we're seeing a lot of films with LGBT elements that escape censorship."

Zahidi said the government and religious department (correctly known as the Department of Islamic Affairs or JAKIM) are committed to curbing the spread of LGBT culture in the country. He blamed foreign elements for the problem, claimed that LGBT films were becoming more subtle in their methods, and asked for public vigilance.

"I'm frustrated because the outside world was the one promoting LGBT," he said in response to a question in parliament.

Zahidi said the government is still monitoring movies and social media platforms for LGBT content and “will take strong action against those found promoting such material.”

However, the Minister also revealed that beyond cinemas and TV broadcasting, his powers are limited and do not cover streaming services such as TikTok or Netflix which are based outside the country. country. This appears to leave Disney free to stream the movies on the Malaysian version of Disney+ Hotstar, and it has been reported that "Lightyear" is already on the platform with an 18+ recommendation.

“We cannot control foreign platforms that are easily accessible online, but we have no problem with activities in the country. We have always been tough and committed,” he said.

“The provisions of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 do not include censorship of such content, which is set out in section 3(3),” Zahidi told Dewan Negara, or Upper House of Parliament.

"Furthermore, OTT services like Netflix are not like public streaming services or private institutions in the country that fall under existing laws regarding licensing and censorship in the country."

Instead, Zahidi advised Malaysians to exercise restraint and advised parents to use age-screening systems contained in streaming platforms to restrict access to LGBT content.

The Malaysian government's commitment to censoring LGBT content is putting the country increasingly at odds with Hollywood studios and American producers. Many of them are going in the opposite direction and doubling down on representing societal diversity (sexual preferences, gender orientation, languages ​​and disabilities) both on screen and behind the camera.

Malaysia has laws that promote racial and religious tolerance between the three main ethnic groups of the population. But the Muslim-dominated country shows no tolerance for male or female homosexuality.

The Malaysian Federal Penal Code criminalizes all consensual same-sex relationships. Those convicted face a prison sentence of up to 20 years and mandatory whipping.

Zahidi's remarks in parliament came the same day as the publication of transgender rights group Justice for Sisters, which called on Malaysia to decriminalize same-sex relationships and end conversion therapy homosexual.

“In addition to institutionalized discrimination and human rights abuses that amount to torture, LGBT people also face discrimination and violence from members of the public. The perpetrators are rarely held accountable,” the report states.

JAKIM and some regional departments of Islamic affairs hold retreats (mukhayyam) to reorient LGBT people towards accepted Muslim sexual norms. Citing what it says are government figures, the report says more than 1,700 LGBT people have undergone such therapy.

"Malaysia's current approaches to rehabilitating and criminalizing LGBT people are neither rights-based nor gender-based.