After a few decades, Kelantan remains one of the states in Malaysia that don’t have cinemas. The state government, however, recently insisted that they have never banned the opening of cinemas, but cinema operators would have to adhere to some rules.
One of the strict rules includes LIGHTS ON – no shows are allowed to be played in the dark in order to avoid ‘unhealthy’ activities.
The chairman of the State Islamic Development, Da’wah, Information, and Public Relations Committee, Asri Mat Daud, said that the cinema issue is an old issue and many explanations have been made by the state government before.
Asri explained that many companies who wished to open cinemas in the state had to halt their plan, reported Utusan.
“They couldn’t comply with the terms and conditions, not because we (the state government) ban the opening,” Asri said.
Other than not playing the shows in the dark, the concerns of prayer times for the Muslims also come into play, especially for Maghrib and Isya‘ prayers, in which the gap between those 2 prayers is not long.
Does that mean any form of art or entertainment is impossible in Kelantan?
The lack of cinemas in the state is NOT the end for film and art enthusiasts. According to Asri, the state government still provides an alternative way for filmmakers who want to show their work.
“Our alternative is to provide a large and spacious hall to screen their films as was done during the preview of Duan Nago Bogho, directed by Sabri Yunus before.”
As a matter of fact, the state government encourages the playing of stories related to history, important figures, and culture that highlight Kelantan’s identity and uniqueness as long as it complies with Sharia.
Do you think cinema operators should comply with the terms of conditions set by the Kelantan state government, or do you think the state government should go with a large and spacious hall?
