A film about exiled Singaporeans that has been banned in the island nation, will be screened in Malaysia.
A New York Times report said the film entitled ‘To Singapore With Love’ was given a NAR or ’Not Allowed for all Ratings’ classification.
This means that it cannot be screened or distributed in Singapore as it ‘undermines national security’.
The movie was made by Tan Pin Pin, a Singaporean who went to the United Kingdom. Thailand and Malaysia to meet six Singaporeans who fled the country in the 60s and 70s for fear of persecution under its Internal Security Act.
Among the six, the report said, were trade unionists, Communists and student leaders.
The Media Development Authority reportedly said that the film’s version of history was the main issue.
“The MDA has assessed that the contents of the film undermine national security because legitimate actions of the security agencies to protect the national security and stability of Singapore are presented in a distorted way as acts that victimized innocent individuals,” the MDA was quoted as saying.
It added that the people featured in the film had made it look as though ’they are being unfairly denied their right to return to Singapore”.
Tan, quoted by the NYT report, had this to say: “I made this film because I myself wanted to better understand Singapore. I wanted to understand how we became who we are by addressing what was banished and unspoken for.”
“Now, the irony [is] that a film about Singapore exiles is now exiled from Singapore as well,” she was quoted as saying.
The film will screen in Johor Baru next week as part of the Freedom Film Fest, the report said.
