FILMMAKERS Tan Meng Kheng and Khairi Anwar Jailani have filed a legal challenge against gag orders imposed on them from speaking publicly about the criminal charges they face.

The duo, the producer and director respectively for the movie “Mentega Terbang”, were charged separately under section 298 of the Penal Code at the Kuala Lumpur magistrates court on Wednesday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by making the movie.

Conviction for the offence carries a one-year prison term. They have claimed trial and have been released on bail.

Both men were issued a gag order. Both cases were then fixed for mention on March 14.

Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek represented them.

In a statement today, Zaid said the duo filed a revision application to the High Court of Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

“The revision seeks to challenge the decision of the magistrates for the gag orders issued against them from discussing or making comments about the case to the media and the public. 

“The revision application for Khairi has been fixed in Mahkamah Tinggi Jenayah 2, Mahkamah Kuala Lumpur on 24.1.2024 at 9am,” said Zaid.

“Mentega Terbang” is a 104-minute film about a Muslim teenager who embarks on a spiritual journey in search of answers to the question of life after death after her mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Previously available on online streaming platforms, the film was taken down by internet regulators after it attracted criticism from conservatives who claimed that certain scenes insulted Islam.

On March 5 last year, it was announced that the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission would also be taking action against the film’s producer.

The police launched its own investigation in the same month, in which the producer and six actors were questioned.

On September 13, 2023, the Home Ministry announced that the movie and its promotional materials had been banned from screening in cinemas or on television, following a Film Censorship (Prohibition) Order 2023.

In December, Tan and Khairi filed a High Court application to challenge the government’s ban, which will be heard on January 31. – January 19, 2024.