ABSTRACT
Both Singapore and Malaysia have made concerted efforts in recent years to establish their cinematic credentials on a global scale. While India’s apparent conservatism (as discussed in Chapter 1) could be seen as arising from its colonial legacy, something that could be seen as shared with Singapore, Malaysia has both this legacy and the moral values of an influential theological power group to contend with. Similarly to the Victorian West, as Foucault sees it:
The strict moral codes that exist in Malaysia and Singapore reflect the multifarious cultures that impact upon both nations. Noted Singaporean scholar Chua Beng Huat notes how particular “Asian values” were adopted by Singapore and, I contend, these values are also highly visible in Malaysia where:
But there are signs of change, often accompanied by inconsistencies, in the region. The development of state-encouraged film industries as part of the economies of global cinema in both Singapore and Malaysia points to the emergence of a more liberal environment. Co-productions and talent exchanges
open up opportunities for investment and may cause state censors to be less officious in stifling creativity because of possible financial repercussions.
