M’sians Are Uploading Mat Kilau Movie Scenes Online, But Do You Know It’s An Offence?

It has become a norm for a number of cinema patrons to ‘announce’ what they’re watching by uploading bits of the movie on their social media accounts. 

The Facebook page, Jabatan Netizen Negara shared a few screenshots of the Mat Kilau movie which was uploaded by a few Tik Tok users.

While it may seem like a common occurrence among cinema patrons, do you know that it is actually an offence? 

The screenshots that were uploaded onto Jabatan Netizen Negara were not the only ones. In fact, some people have been recording parts of the movie and posting them on social media. It even gained the attention of the mastermind behind Mat Kilau, Syamsul Yusof which angered him.

Recently, he sent a reminder to everyone via an Instagram post. 

“Audience is not allowed to upload any clip longer than 5 seconds, or the producer of the film has the right to sue you and legal actions will be taken.”

Syamsul previously had to undergo multiple legal issues when his horror flick, Munafik 2 was uploaded online prior to its release where the responsible parties were sued for the offence.

“It’s not worth it, guys. Please take note & save yourself the trouble. This is a huge offense,” Syamsul reminded.

The act of taking pictures or recording the movie is actually an offence under the 1997 Copyright Act where a fine of RM20,000 or a jail time up to 5 years will be imposed should you be found guilty.

If you frequently visit the cinemas, you have likely noticed the ‘friendly reminder’ right before the commencement of the movie. The advertisement reminds the patrons NOT to take or record any parts of the movie.

In case it has slipped your mind, the advertisement below might ring the bell.

We hope this will serve as a solid reminder to all the visitors who rarely think twice before sharing the bits of the movies on their social media. To quote Syamsul Yusof, ‘it’s really not worth it, guys.’

Also read: Do We Really Need Cut Scenes Or Censorship In Movies For 18 & Above, Like Scream?