List of films banned in Malaysia
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{{Expand list|date=September 2021}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
This is a list of films banned in Malaysia, as they are viewed by the Malaysian government for violating relevant laws and regulations, or because of other political and religious factors. Films that are assigned the Tidak Diluluskan Untuk Tayangan ("Not Passed for Screening"){{Cite journal|date=2011|title=Garis Panduan Penapisan Filem|url=http://lpf.moha.gov.my/lpf/images/Perundangan/GARIS_PANDUAN_PENAPISAN_FILEM(1).pdf|journal=Film Censorship Board of Malaysia|page=31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412071051/http://lpf.moha.gov.my/lpf/images/Perundangan/GARIS_PANDUAN_PENAPISAN_FILEM(1).pdf|archive-date=12 April 2019}} category by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia are banned for sale, possession, distribution and screening. Screening rejected films, possessing, selling, or even owning them in private is forbidden and strictly enforced and can be punished with severe fines, up to 20 years' imprisonment or both.
List
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Name ! Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 1936
| Banned due to its Romani themes. It was passed five decades later during the 1990s with a VCD release from Warner Malaysia Video. |
| 1946
| Banned originally, but passed 53 years later in 1999 with a VCD release and a delayed DVD release from Warner Malaysia Video. |
| 1971
| Banned due to its explicit sexual and violent content. A censored version was released on DVD after several years. |
| 1973
| Banned due to intense violence and cruelty. |
| 1975
| Jaws | Banned originally for the depictions of intense violence, but was eventually passed for a VCD release and a long-delayed DVD release by Movie Master. |
| 1977
| Banned by Cinema International Corporation's Paramount Malaysia division, reportedly because it was deemed to cause chaos in the community. |
| 1979
| Monty Python's Life of Brian | Banned because of blasphemous content. |
| 1980
| Banned due to its extremely violent content and actual on-screen killings of animals. |
| 1983
| Scarface | Banned due to excessive violence, strong language and drug usage. |
| 1986
| Platoon | Banned due to vulgar language and violence. |
| 1993
| Banned initially; the Malaysian Film Censorship Board described the film as “propaganda with the purpose of asking for sympathy.” A heavily censored DVD version was later released in 2004. |
| 1993
| The Spirit of Love (1993 Hong Kong romantic horror movie)| The Spirit of Love (愛的精靈) | Never released in cinemas Malaysia, banned due explicit nudity, sexual content & horror theme. | |
| 1993
| Crazy Love (蜜桃成熟時) | Never released in cinemas Malaysia, banned due explicit nudity & sexual content. | |
| 1994
| Girls Unbutton (不扣钮的女孩) | Never released in cinemas Malaysia, banned due explicit nudity & sexual content. | |
| 1994
| Banned due to intense violence, drug abuse, explicit nudity, and scenes of sexual violence. |
| 1994
| Banned for depiction of cruelty, profanity, and violence. Later released on DVD. |
| 1995
| Babe | Banned due to "babe" sounding similar to "babi," the Malay word for "pig," which is non-halal; also portrays pigs in a positive light. |{{cite web |last=Gogoi |first=Pallavi |url=http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/nov2006/db20061107_885480.htm |title=Banning Borat |publisher=Businessweek.com |date=5 November 2006 |accessdate=31 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229002414/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/nov2006/db20061107_885480.htm |archive-date=29 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwnFAxdma2c |title=South Park is now available in Malaysia |publisher=HyppTV |date= |accessdate=8 January 2015}} |
| 1996
| Maachis | Maachis was banned in Malaysia by the censor board on grounds that "it may hurt religious sentiments. | |
| 1996
| Sex and Zen II (玉蒲團II玉女心經) | Never released in Malaysia, banned due strong sexual content and same-sex kiss. Later released on Apple TV+, with an 18 rating. | |
| 1998
| Banned because the censors found it to be unacceptable for children to watch, without providing any further explanation. |
| 1998
| Never released in cinemas because the censor body ruled that the film is "insensitive for religious and moral reasons". The film was passed for VCD and DVD release by Berjaya HVN. |
| 1998
| Banned due to its title and subject matter not being halal (pigs—whether or not they're used as food—are considered highly taboo in the Muslim religion, of which Malaysia has a sizeable population). Released direct-to-VHS when the ruling was overturned almost a year later. |
| 1998
|Never released in cinemas due to Spielberg's previous controversial film, passed for VCD and DVD release by Berjaya HVN |
| 1998
| Banned due to its violence. | |
| 1999
| Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me |Never released in cinemas due to comedic sexual content as regarded to be almost pornographic, but passed for a VCD release and delayed DVD release by Sunny Film Productions. |
| 2001
| Banned for its offensive depiction of the country as an impoverished country dependent on sweatshops, and involving a plot to assassinate a prime minister. |{{cite news | title = Zoolander faces Malaysian censorship controversy | url = http://film.guardian.co.uk/censorship/news/0,11729,661800,00.html | date = 28 September 2001 | work = Guardian Unlimited | location = London, United Kingdom | access-date = 7 March 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430063206/http://film.guardian.co.uk/censorship/news/0,11729,661800,00.html | archive-date = 30 April 2008 | url-status = live }} |
| 2003-2007
| It was banned for imaging God as an ordinary man and is deemed blasphemous to Islam. The ban was lifted four years later with the 18-PL rating. | {{cite web |url=http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=7703 |title=Middle East Online |access-date=June 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930161208/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=7703 |archive-date=2007-09-30 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NTEyMjkzNTUx |title=Malaysian Muslims call for ban on movie, AFP, Fri July 13, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207031318/http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NTEyMjkzNTUx |archive-date=December 7, 2008 }} |
| 2004
|The film's viewing was restricted solely to adult Christian viewers. |
| 2005
| Banned for its "favorable" depiction of homosexuality. |
| 2007
| Banned based on 18 counts of incidents shown in the film depicting the country "in a bad light" for cultural, ethical, and racial reasons. However, they later allowed the film to be screened in the country after Tsai agreed to censor parts of the film according to the requirements of the Censorship Board. |
| 2010
| Rumah Dara (Macabre) | Banned due to horror violence, gore, and cannibalism. |
| 2010
| Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time | Originally banned, but later passed and was given a release in May 2010. |
| 2013
| Originally banned for its strong horror themes and gruesome violence, but later passed and released by Warner Bros. in July 2013. |
| 2013
| Shown in local cinemas on 24 January 2013, but the approval was withdrawn the next day, in accordance with a directive from the Home Ministry following concerns from the public that the film portrays Islam in a negative light. Malaysian authorities lifted the ban on 19 February 2014, however, after several scenes were cut. |
| 2013
| Originally banned due to high-impact violence; also banned for scary images, political content, and anarchism. However, it was later passed and was released in August 2013. |
| 2013
| Originally banned for its vulgar title, but later passed and released by Universal Studios in August 2013. |
| 2013
| Banned due to a religious, cultural and moral grounds. |
| 2013
| Banned for scenes of sex, drug abuse, and offensive language. |
| 2013
| The New Village | Banned after causing riots and chaos during its initial screening, and for supposedly promoting communism. |
| 2014
| Banglasia (猛加拉杀手) | The film was heavily criticised by the LPF (Film Censorship Board) and KDN (Home Ministry department), which received 31 official notes and orders to re-shoot the movie. On 12 February 2019, the ban was lifted when LPF approved the film undergone 7 scenes reedits or cut, a small reshoot and updates. In addition, the new version of the film was release under new title Banglasia 2.0. |{{cite news |url=http://www.malaysiandigest.com/frontpage/29-4-tile/486231-banglasia-by-namewee-banned.html |title="Banglasia" By Namewee Banned |publisher=Malaysian Digest |date=4 February 2014 |accessdate=7 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307115530/http://www.malaysiandigest.com/frontpage/29-4-tile/486231-banglasia-by-namewee-banned.html |archive-date=7 March 2014 |url-status=usurped }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/15/namewee-banglasia-gets-green-light-from-lpf/|title=Namewee's 'Banglasia' gets green light from LPF – Nation {{!}} The Star Online|last=Seto|first=Kit Yan|website=The Star|access-date=22 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216212148/https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/15/namewee-banglasia-gets-green-light-from-lpf/|archive-date=16 February 2019|url-status=live}} |
| 2014
| Originally banned for its horror themes and gruesome violence, but later passed and given a release in October 2014. |
| 2014
| Originally banned due to its strongly-violent themes and supposed promotion of anarchy, but later passed and given a release in September 2014. |
| 2014
| Banned on its initial release due to excessive violence.{{explain|date=July 2021}} |
| 2014
| Noah | Banned due to religious content and its depictions of the prophets. |
| 2015
| Banned due to strong sexual content and graphic nudity. Passed cut for TV release in 2018 and was given an 18 rating. |{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/50-shades-banned-in-malaysia-1201424390/|title='Fifty Shades of Grey' Banned in Malaysia|author=Patrick Frater|magazine=Variety|date=February 4, 2015|accessdate=February 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116190430/http://variety.com/2015/film/news/50-shades-banned-in-malaysia-1201424390/|archive-date=16 November 2017|url-status=live}} |
| 2015
| Originally banned due to strong horror themes, but later passed and given a release in April 2015. |
| 2015
| Originally banned for possible abuse-related themes, but later passed and given a release in May 2015. |
| 2015
| Banned due to sexual and nude content as well on grounds of moral depravity. |
| 2015
| Fundamentally Happy | Banned due to containing elements that may be sensitive to the feelings of Malaysian Malays and may be interpreted by Malaysian Malays as an attempt to reflect the community's attitude towards those who abuse the weak to fulfil their desires. |
| 2016
| Originally banned for its political and violent themes, but later passed and given a release in July 2016. |
| 2017
| Originally banned for horror and some sexual themes, but later passed and given a release in October 2017. |
| 2017
| Originally banned for horror and possible sexual themes, but later passed and given a release in May 2017. |
| 2017
| Baywatch | Originally banned for possible sexual themes, but later passed and given a release in June 2017. |
| 2017
| Originally banned for horror and religious themes, but later passed and given a release in August 2017. |
| 2017
| mother! | Originally banned for possible sexual or horror themes, but later passed and given a release in September 2017. |
| 2017
| Originally banned for its promotion of immoral behaviour, but later passed and given a release in December 2017. Also released on streaming media. |
| 2017
| Banned for some indecent scenes in certain scenes. |
| 2018
| Banned for negatively portraying Alauddin Khalji, a Muslim ruler of medieval India. |
| 2019
| Banned per orders of LPF (Film Censorship Board of Malaysia) due to the story's portrayal of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) in a negative light and for portraying police officers as corrupt and for scenes which supposedly inaccurately and misleadingly represent the police force. In addition, the makers of the film failed to get necessary police permits to shoot scenes in Malaysia; the Malaysian law requires that film production receives permission from the relevant authorities such as FINAS, PUSPAL and others before shooting. |{{Cite web |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/hiburan/484723 |title=LPF nafi Kadaram Kondan tak ditayang kerana tajuk |last=Kumar |first=B Nantha |date=20 July 2019 |website=MalaysiaKini |url-status=live |accessdate=2019-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725093144/https://www.malaysiakini.com/hiburan/484723 |archive-date=25 July 2019 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.astroulagam.com.my/entertainment/article/110947/reasons-for-kadaram-kondan-ban-revealed |title=Reasons For Kadaram Kondan Ban Revealed! |date=20 July 2019 |website=Astro Ulagam |url-status=live |accessdate=2019-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725093151/http://www.astroulagam.com.my/entertainment/article/110947/reasons-for-kadaram-kondan-ban-revealed |archive-date=25 July 2019 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/why-vikrams-kadaram-kondan-banned-this-country-802128 |title=Why is Vikram's Kadaram Kondan banned in this country? |last=Johnson |first=David |date=20 July 2019 |website=International Business Times |url-status=live |accessdate=2019-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806235735/https://www.ibtimes.co.in/why-vikrams-kadaram-kondan-banned-this-country-802128 |archive-date=6 August 2019 }} |
| 2019
| rowspan="3" | Banned by LPF (Film Censorship Board of Malaysia) due to sensitive and mature content. |
| 2019 |
| 2019
| 90 ML |
| 2019
| Hustlers | Initially scheduled to be released on 19 September 2019, but the film's local distributor suddenly called off the press preview screening a day before. Later, they confirmed that LPF (Film Censorship Board of Malaysia) are not sanctioning the release of the film due to erotic and nudity scenes on the film. |{{Cite web|url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2019/09/20/its-off-stripper-movie-hustlers-starring-jenifer-lopez-banned-in-malaysia-f/1792590|title=It's off! Stripper movie 'Hustlers' starring Jennifer Lopez banned in Malaysia for cuts and nudity|last=Raj|first=Mark Ryan|date=20 September 2019|website=Malay Mail|url-status=live|access-date=25 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920133540/https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2019/09/20/its-off-stripper-movie-hustlers-starring-jenifer-lopez-banned-in-malaysia-f/1792590|archive-date=20 September 2019}} |
| 2019
| Banned due to a scene involving the nine-dash line, a contested demarcation line used by China to lay claim over a portion of the South China Sea. Passed for DVD release by United International Pictures Malaysia. | {{cite news|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/abominable-screened-in-malaysia-over-south-china-sea-map-12018316|title=Abominable film won't be screened in Malaysia over South China Sea map|work=Channel News Asia|date=October 20, 2019|access-date=October 20, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Ananthalakshmi |first1=A. |last2=Gopalakrishnan |first2=Raju |title='Abominable' film axed in Malaysia after rebuffing order to cut China map |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-southchinasea-film/abominable-film-axed-in-malaysia-after-rebuffing-order-to-cut-china-map-idUSKBN1WZ033 |access-date=20 October 2019 |work=Reuters |date=20 October 2019}} |
| 2020
| Babi | Banned due to word Babi, directly translates to "pig" in Malay and probably due to its provoking nature. |
| 2021
| Banned due to guerrilla war against communist insurgents until 1989, the dissemination of communist ideology is illegal. | {{Cite news|last=Ramachandran|first=Naman|date=2021-11-23|title=Malaysia Bans Chinese War Movie 'The Battle at Lake Changjin'|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/the-battle-at-lake-changjin-malaysia-ban-1235117381/|access-date=2021-11-24}} |
| 2021
| Banned due to concerns that it "glorifies violent protests" and could potentially "affect Malaysia-China bilateral relations". | {{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/pixars-lightyear-ban-saudi-arabia-same-sex-kiss-1235292236/ |title=Pixar's 'Lightyear' Banned in Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. and Malaysia Over Same-Sex Kiss |date=13 June 2022 |website=Variety |last=Frater |first=Patrick |access-date=3 January 2025 |archive-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614131817/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/pixars-lightyear-ban-saudi-arabia-same-sex-kiss-1235292236/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/624140 |title=M'sia bans HK film on 2019 protests, China ties among reasons |date=10 June 2022 |website=Malaysiakini |last=Yap |first=Fion |access-date=3 January 2025 |archive-date=3 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103140900/https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/624140 |url-status=live }} |
| 2023
| Pulau | Banned in Terengganu, due to "sensitivity". |{{cite news |last1=Noorshahrizam |first1=Shahrin Aizat |title=‘Pulau’ producer confirms movie banned in Terengganu, appealing decision |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/02/17/pulau-producer-confirms-movie-banned-in-terengganu-appealing-decision/55484 |access-date=March 4, 2023 |work=Malay Mail |date=February 17, 2023 |language=en-MY}} |
| 2023
| Banned in Malaysia due to its content which reflected wrongly on some religious beliefs. | |
| 2023
| Siksa Neraka (Tourment of Hell) | Banned in Malaysia and Brunei due to violence of graphics and sensitive issue. Released on Netflix after several reviews. | |
=The Walt Disney Company=
==Walt Disney Pictures==
==Pixar Animation Studios==
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Name ! Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 2022
| Banned due to the depiction of a same-sex kiss. Later released on Disney+ with an 18 rating. |
==Marvel Studios==
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Name ! Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 2022
| Banned due to the depiction of a same-sex kiss. Cinema operators in Malaysia are in the dark over the hold-up in the release of the film in Malaysia. Later released on Disney+ with an 18 rating. |
==20th Century Studios==
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Name ! Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 1956
| Banned due to offense from neighboring country Thailand. It was passed in 2005 with a VCD release and a DVD release from FOX Malaysia. |
| 2009
| Originally banned, but later passed and released from Fox Malaysia in May 2009. |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}