Regulator's Decision for Same-sex Kiss Scene in Musical

30 Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to MDA's action after a complaint has been made about a same-sex kiss scene in the musical Les Miserables (a) why did MDA decide to take action; and (b) what was the process undertaken by MDA which led to their decision.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: When classifying arts entertainment, the Media Development Authority (MDA) is guided by the Arts Entertainment Classification Code, which is drafted in consultation with the Arts Consultative Panel and the industry, to reflect current social norms and standards. In applying the Code, MDA takes into consideration the theme, the context in which the scenes appear and the treatment of the content, based on the information provided by the applicants.

In the case of Les Miserables, MDA gave the musical a "General" rating based on the script that was originally submitted. The same-sex kiss scene was not mentioned in that submission.

Subsequently, MDA received public feedback that the musical contained a same-sex kiss scene. Upon reviewing the performance, MDA told the applicant that the rating for the musical would need to be revised to "Advisory" due to the scene. The "Advisory" rating helps to inform the public that there is content that may be offensive, or inappropriate for children. However, the applicant decided to remove the scene so as to keep the "General" rating for the rest of the musical's run.