Cinemas in Kelantan, Malaysia must keep the lights on to prevent hanky-panky, says state exco

MALAYSIA: Amid all the hoopla that cinemas have purportedly been banned in the Islamic state of Kelantan, Malaysia, the verdict is now out that they have not been banned but told to keep the lights on.

Local newspaper Utusan Malaysia reported that Islamic Development, Da’wah, Information and Community Relations exco, Mohd Asri Mat Daud, said that operators must comply with strict conditions, including avoiding screenings in dark environments to prevent inappropriate activities.

Kerajaan Kelantan benarkan pawagam dibuka, tetapi larang tayangan dalam gelap

Katanya kalau boleh patuh syarat-syarat ini, maka bolehlah beroperasi di Kelantan.

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“The reality is that companies wanting to open cinemas in Kelantan have found their aspirations halted due to the strict conditions set, not because the state government has banned the opening of cinemas.

Several companies have expressed interest in opening cinemas in the state, but all have encountered difficulties meeting the stipulated conditions,” Asri said.

The Malay Mail reported that the other conditions stipulated in a circular for those wishing to open cinemas in Kelantan include compliance with the five daily prayer times.

This was despite the short gap between some prayer timings, such as Maghrib and Isyak.

According to a New Straits Times report, Asri had said the Kelantan government did provide an option for film screenings:

“Our alternative solution is to offer a large spacious hall for film screenings, as was done during the preview of Duan Nago Bogho, directed by Sabri Yunus.”

Mohd Asri also emphasized that the state government encouraged performances and shows relating to history, significant figures, and cultural heritage, highlighting Kelantan’s identity and uniqueness, provided they comply with Syariah principles.

According to a MalaysiaNow report, Kelantan has not had a typical cinema for three decades since the state government decided it had excessive entertainment elements.

Back then, Kelantan had four big commercial cinemas: the Lido, Odean, Rex and Meena. It also had the Rama cinema in Pasir Putih. The last movie theatre in the state, the Lido theater, closed down in 1997.

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)