Education Minister Maszlee Malik has credited Malaysia's latest animation sensation, Ejen Ali The Movie - now playing in cinemas nationwide - as being a positive inspiration for children and viewers in general.

"Just imagine how our children will start to think after they watched this movie? Imagine if we were to produce more of such movies.

"I'm confident that our children will quickly develop high-level thinking skills, creative and critical thinking, and more importantly, they will be more mature in facing daily realities," said Maszlee in a Facebook post after watching the movie together with Education Ministry staff yesterday.

On lessons from the movie, Maszlee said Ejen Ali portrayed how doing good does not depend on the person's identity or where they were from but solely based on their individual intention.

"No matter where we are, we must believe that every single one of us is an agent of virtue.

"Our duty is to continue doing good to the best of our ability," he said.

The viewing session was also attended by the Education Ministry secretary-general, deputy secretary-general, division heads and other support staff.

The movie jointly produced by Primeworks Studios and WAU Animation has made more than RM20 million since its release on Nov 28, earning it a spot on the local blockbusters list.

According to Maszlee, the producers have proven that Malaysia's animation scene could go as far as to challenge Hollywood productions.

"On the surface, we may think that this movie is just another animation film. But the truth is this film has a strong philosophical base. It poses a larger question that encourages all of us to think.

"I always believe that artistic works, including movies, can be powerful educational tools," he said.

The Simpang Renggam MP further noted how the issue of social class - an often debated subject - was used as the movie's main plot, backed by a solid storyline and well-developed characters.

"The dialogues are not superficial, and in fact, it opened up room for further discussions about what is considered right and wrong," he said.

"I would like to openly state here, I salute and admire the production team who have come up with such a fantastic film.

"Happy viewing to all those who have not, and be prepared to shed some tears," he said.