Tanda Putera

Tanda Putera
Directed by Shuhaimi Baba
Distributed by Persona Pictures
Release dates
  • 29 August 2013 (2013-08-29)
Country Malaysia
Language Malay
English
Chinese
Budget RM 4,700,000[1]
Box office RM 930,000[1]

Tanda Putera (English: Mark of Prince) is a 2013 Malaysian history film directed by Shuhaimi Baba. The film is set to be released in Malaysia on 13 September 2012 but delayed until 29 August 2013[2] The fictional[3] biographical film about the 2nd prime minister of Malaysia Tun Abdul Razak (Father of current Prime Minister Najib Razak) and his then deputy Tun Dr Ismail set around the time after the 1969 racial riots. It is a Shuhaimi Baba's sequel film to 1957: Hati Malaya in 2007.

Plot

The film is a fiction loosely based from the Malaysia's historic event occurred within 1969, when the racial tension reach its height.[4] The film portrays the close friendship between the second Malaysian prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak and his deputy, Tun Dr Ismail. They were secretive about their health problems as they had the task of restoring the peace in their country following the events of 13 May 1969. Tun Razak was suffering from leukaemia and he had to keep it a secret from his family. They both sought the services of Dr. Macpherson. The reading room of Tun Dr Ismail became a secret clinic for their treatment.

Cast

Controversy

Before the release of the film, the film sparked controversies about the accuracy of its contents of the film after the release of the trailer in relation to the 13 May riots. Opposition lawmakers alleged that the film portrayed the Chinese and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in a negative light.[5] Further controversy was caused after the film's official Facebook page featured a picture of opposition lawmaker Lim Kit Siang being carried away by a group of uniformed officials with the caption alleging that Lim Kit Siang had urinated on the Selangor flag in the house of former Selangor chief minister Harun Idris. Lim Kit Siang denied the allegation and said that the picture featuring him in the Facebook page was actually taken in Sabah in 1984; while director Shuhaimi Baba denies that Lim Kit Siang is featured in the film.[6] Shuhaimi Baba defended the film saying that it is based on true historical facts and that it is not a propaganda and that the film is mainly about the friendship between Tun Razak and Tun Dr Ismail, while the 13 May incident is merely a backdrop to the film. However Shuhaimi Baba did mention that there is an amount of creative illustration and fictional content added in.[7]

Penang ban, viewing advisory and screening

On 28 August 2013, the Penang state government have send out advisory directive [8] to all cinema operators in the state to not screen the controversial movie Tanda Putera. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the movie is scheduled to be screen on 29 August 2013. He claimed that there are slanderous scenes that could provoke racial hatred.[7] Less than 24 hours after issuing a letter to cinemas in Penang not to screen the Malay movie Tanda Putera, the state government has issued another letter on 29 August 2013 saying they were merely "advised" against screening the controversial movie, not to ban it. Cinemas in Penang will screen Tanda Putera after all despite complying with the state government's advisory that it should not be shown because of the sensitive nature of the film.Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the movie by will hit cinemas in Penang starting 31 August 2013.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Tanda Putera flops in the box office, loses about RM3.77mil. news.abnxcess.com. 29 September 2013
  2. ↑ "Tanda Putera". Golden Screen Cinemas. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Director admits Tanda Putera a work of fiction, defends controversial scenes – MSN Malaysia News. News.malaysia.msn.com. 24 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Mok, Opalyn (29 August 2013) Director admits Tanda Putera a work of fiction, defends controversial scenes. The Malaysian Insider. Retrieved on 8 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Screen ‘Tanda Putera’ uncut or we will make an Anwar movie, Perkasa says". The Malaysian Insider. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Kit Siang: I was defamed on Tanda Putera’s Facebook page". The Malaysian Insider. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Storm over Tanda Putera film". The Star Online. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  8. ↑ Mok, Opalyn (29 August 2013) Penang cinemas pull plug on ‘Tanda Putera’ | Malaysia. The Malay Mail Online. Retrieved on 8 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Finas to order screening of Tanda Putera in Penang". Malaysiakini. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
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