Disney says it will not cut a gay scene from Beauty and the Beast for release in Malaysia, despite a request from censors.

The live-action film, which stars Emma Watson, had been scheduled to open in cinemas in Malaysia on Thursday, but Disney indefinitely postponed the film’s release earlier this week after the country’s Film Censorship Board said it would only be approved if the scene was cut.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Disney has now moved the film’s release date to 30 March to allow time for the board to make a decision. However, a spokesman for the studio told the BBC that the the film “has not been and will not be cut” for release.

Homosexual activity remains illegal in Malaysia, and homosexual characters can only be depicted on screen if they show repentance or are portrayed negatively.

“We have approved it but there is a minor cut involving a gay moment. It is only one short scene but it is inappropriate because many children will be watching this movie,” the chairman of the censorship board, Abdul Halim, had previously said.

In the new version of Beauty and the Beast the character of LeFou, the sidekick of the story’s villain Gaston, is “confused about his sexuality”, according to director Bill Condon. The film features an “exclusively gay moment”, where LeFou dances with another man.

The scene has already attracted controversy. In Russia the film was approved for release with a restrictive rating that prohibits those under the age of 16 from viewing it. The film has also been banned by a cinema in Alabama because of the scene.