A scene from local Malay drama 'Maid'. Complaints about a bedroom scene involving a married couple in this drama prompted the Film Censorship Board to release new guidelines. — Picture by Cinema Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — No physical contact between men and women. Even for real-life married couples. Even for educational purposes.

These are some of the rules facing aspiring filmmakers if they choose to seek funding from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), which just released its guidelines for Shariah-compliant entertainment today.

Although based on the Malaysian Islamic Religious Development Department’s (Jakim) guidelines released in April this year, some parts of Mara’s guidelines appear to be stricter than Jakim’s.

In one section, artistes are told to refrain from physical contact with their co-star of the opposite gender, even though the scene may be meant to educate viewers.

It gave the example of a documentary to teach women on ways to defend themselves from male attackers, but a woman is forbidden to act out the scene as it will involve physical contact between a male and female actors.

Instead, the guideline suggested that the same scene is acted out by two male actors, who would then suggest to the viewers that the same defensive move can also be used by women.

Another rule prohibits real-life married couples, those who are considered “mahram” from acting out “inappropriate scenes” in front of a public audience, such as hugging and kissing.

Mahram, also pronounced muhrim in Malay, is a concept in Shariah law that refers to unmarriageable kin, such as blood relatives.

Mara said they will be used as criteria for companies seeking funding from the Malay empowerment agency to ensure that its investments are Shariah-compliant.

“This guidelines will be the reference and guide for relevant government agencies to decide and provide Islamic financial fundings based on the Shariah principles to all local arts and entertainments practitioners,” the guidelines said in its list of objectives.

“Don’t see this as a hurdle, but make it as a challenge to produce works that are more creative and effective,” Communications and Multimedia Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Mohid Mohamed said while launching a seminar on the topic today jointly-held by Mara.

The guidelines, drafted together with Putrajaya-backed Institute of Islamic Strategic Research Malaysia (Iksim), were released as a 30-page booklet that was distributed to the two-day seminar’s participants.

Jakim’s new guidelines were drafted last year but were only approved in the 107th convention of the National Fatwa Committee on February 10 and 11 this year, and superseded the first version which was published in 2007.

According to the guidelines, entertainers coming to Malaysia would have to adhere to limitations on stage performances, dress and behaviour codes, as well as gender segregation for attendees.

Malaysian Artistes Association had then objected among others to the rules that impose gender segregation at stage events, which it said will affect the local entertainment industry and scare away foreign tourists.

Event organisers Arts, Life and Events Association have also said that Jakim’s restrictions would discourage international artistes from coming to Malaysia, thus negatively affecting their business.

Under fire, Jakim has since said that its entertainment guidelines which imposed restrictions on live acts in Malaysia was merely a guideline and will not be made compulsory.

Director-general of Jakim Datuk Othman Mustapha reiterated in April that the guidelines were in place to educate the entertainment industry and not to restrict.