Table Of ContentFilm Censorship in the
Asia-Paci(cid:2) c Region
F ilm censorship has always been a controversial matter, particularly in
jurisdictions with restrictive state-based censorship systems. This book reviews
the (cid:2) lm censorship systems in the Asia-Paci(cid:2) c region by comparing the systems
used in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia. It identi(cid:2) es the key issues and
concerns that arise from the design and implementation of the systems by
examining the censorship laws, policies, guidelines and processes. The book
evaluates (cid:2) lm practitioners’ and censors’ opinions of, and experiences in, dealing
with those issues and goes on to develop reform proposals for the Malaysian (cid:2) lm
censorship system.
Saw Tiong Guan currently teaches at the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya,
Malaysia. He obtained his doctorate degree from the University of Melbourne and
is an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya. He is also a (cid:2) lm director
and producer.
Routledge Advances in Asia-Paci(cid:2) c Studies
Environment, Education and Society in the Asia-Paci(cid:2) c
Local traditions and global discourses
David Yencken, John Fien and Helen Sykes
Ageing in the Asia-Paci(cid:2) c Region
David R. Phillips
Caring for the Elderly in Japan and the US
Practices and policies
Susan Orpett Long
Human Rights and Gender Politics
Asia-Paci(cid:2) c perspectives
Edited by Anne Marie Hilsdon, Martha Macintyre, Vera Mackie and Maila Stivens
Human Rights in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan
Ian Neary
Cultural Politics and Asian Values
The tepid war
Michael D. Barr
Social Policy in East and Southeast Asia
Education, health, housing and income maintenance
M. Ramesh
Sino-Japanese Relations
Facing the past, looking to the future?
Caroline Rose
Directors of Urban Change in Asia
Edited by Peter J.M. Nas
Education Reform and Education Policy in East Asia
Ka Ho Mok
The Strong and the Weak in Japanese Literature
Discrimination, egalitarianism, nationalism
Fuminobu Murakami
Civilization, Nation and Modernity in East Asia
Chih Yu Shih
Diminishing Con(cid:3) icts in Asia and the Paci(cid:2) c
Robin Jeffrey, Edward Aspinall and Anthony Regan
Health Transitions and the Double Disease Burden in Asia and the Paci(cid:2) c
Histories of responses to non-communicable and communicable diseases
Edited by Milton J. Lewis and Kerrie L. MacPherson
Film Censorship in the Asia-Paci(cid:2) c Region
Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia compared
Saw Tiong Guan
Film Censorship in the
Asia-Paci(cid:2) c Region
Malaysia, Hong Kong and
Australia compared
Saw Tiong Guan
First published 2013
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2013 Saw Tiong Guan
The right of Saw Tiong Guan to be identi(cid:2) ed as author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identi(cid:2) cation and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Saw, Tiong Guan.
Film censorship in the AsiaPaci(cid:2) c Region : Malaysia, Hong Kong, and
Australia compared / Saw Tiong Guan.
p. cm. (Routledge Advances in AsiaPaci(cid:2) c Studies ; 15)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Motion pictures Law and legislation Paci(cid:2) c Area. 2. Motion
pictures Censorship Paci(cid:2) c Area. I. Title.
KVC728.M67S29 2013
344.505(cid:2)31 dc23
2012031252
ISBN: 9780415656894 (hbk)
ISBN: 9780203067826 (ebk)
Typeset in Times
by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby
For my mother,
who taught me how to write,
and
for Piyasak Vitayaburananont,
who keeps me writing.
Contents
Table of cases xi
Table of statutes and rules xvii
List of (cid:2) lms xix
List of tables xxii
Preface xxiii
1 Introduction 1
Setting the scene 1
Structure of the book 3
Legal literature about freedom of expression, obscenity and censorship 6
2 The (cid:2) lm industries in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia
in their socio-legal context 13
Introduction 13
Malaysia 14
Hong Kong 21
Australia 27
Summary 34
3 Film censorship systems in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia:
the laws, guidelines and processes 36
Introduction 36
The Malaysian system 37
The Hong Kong system 41
The Australian system 48
Conclusion 55
x Contents
4 Film censorship systems in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia:
the key issues 56
Introduction 56
The Malaysian system 57
The Hong Kong system 62
The Australian system 67
Summary: an evaluation of the key issues 72
5 Film censorship systems in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia:
the practitioners’ opinions and experiences 78
Introduction 78
Film practitioners’ opinions of the key issues 83
Summary 106
6 Judicial review of (cid:2) lm censorship decisions 108
Introduction 108
The grounds of judicial review 113
The availability of judicial review to (cid:2) lm practitioners:
the (cid:2) lter mechanisms 118
Remedies available under judicial review application:
what can the applicant (cid:2) lm practitioner achieve? 123
Judicial review of (cid:2) lm censorship decisions: the best option? 125
7 Conclusion: proposals for the reform of the Malaysian
(cid:2) lm censorship system and further research 130
Introduction 130
The areas of concern in the Malaysian (cid:2) lm censorship system
and proposals for reform 131
The areas of concern in the Hong Kong and Australian (cid:2) lm
censorship systems for further research 148
Conclusion 152
Notes 153
Bibliography 198
Index 205
Table of cases
Abrams v United States
250 US 616 (1919) (Supreme Court, United States of America)
Adultshop.com Ltd v Members of the Classi(cid:2) cation Review Board and anor.
[2008] 169 FCR 31 (Federal Court, Australia)
Alberts v California
354 US 476 (1957) (Supreme Court, United States of America)
Anisminic Ltd v Foreign Compensation Commission
[1969] 2 AC 147 (House of Lords, United Kingdom)
Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation
[1948] 1 KB 223 (Court of Appeal, England and Wales)
Attorney General v Guardian Newspapers Ltd (No 2)
[1990] 1 AC 109 (House of Lords, United Kingdom)
Australian Capital Television v Commonwealth
(1992) 177 CLR 106 (High Court, Australia)
Badan Peguam Malaysia v Kerajaan Malaysia
[2008] 2 MLJ 285 (Federal Court, Malaysia)
Brandenburg v Ohio
395 US 444 (1969) (Supreme Court, United States of America)
Burstyn Inc. v Wilson
343 US 495 (1952) (Supreme Court, United States of America)
Chaplinsky v New Hampshire
315 US 568 (1942) (Supreme Court, United States of America)
