* Video has been removed due to copyright issues but you can view it from FB here: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=171047492968191
In response to this advertisement, many people have complained in Twitter and FB. TV3 & 8TV Media Prima CEO Ahmad Izham Omar Tweeted: “Chill guys. Don’t overthink the ads. Its written, produced and directed by a multi-racial team. If you overanalyse, anything will be bad”. I guess you just UNDER-ANALYSED Mr. CEO, this is like putting oil on fire! Although this advertisement offended Chinese the most, but it does offend other races too. Let me analyse for you:
Chinese: Why must the bad character be a Chinese? Does this mean that Chinese are rude and impolite (I think she’s just trying hard to be friendly)? If it’s so hard to fit in a Chinese into your advertisement, then don’t. BTW, what’s the problem with wearing a sleeveless shirt? Not cleavage pun! Who is supposed to respect who now?
Indian: No Indian spotted. Full stop. Malaysia only got Malay and Chinese? Maybe there’s one or two Indians at the background but my blurry eyes really can’t spot any. (A friend commented that the host at the middle might be an Indian but I’m not sure. Even so, shouldn’t they put at least 1 Indian into the ‘bazaar’ to show the spirit of 1Malaysia?)
Malay: To portray Malay as being so weak-willed and aroused by just seeing armpits is memalukan. Malays are not so ‘katak di bawah tempurung’. They wear sleeveless shirt too!
IMHO, it would be better if they make the advertisement like this:
3 people (Malay, Indian, Chinese) standing and read the following script – Kami dari 8TV ingin mengucapkan Selamat Berbuka Puasa kepada semua Muslimin dan Muslimat. THE END.
Is it so hard to understand the concept of unity? We should respect EACH OTHER. These are sensitive times. Be sensitive and think of other people’s feeling before doing something. If there is an advertisement during Chinese New Year that portrays a Malay as a bad character, I don’t think it will be allowed to aired, no?
It’s so off-topic. Instead of wishing the Malays sincerely, the Non Malays are given a “lesson”. I’m sure nobody will behave like a retard in Bazaar Ramadan/Ramadhan and I’m sure we all still remember what we’ve learnt during our Moral classes e.g. Bertimbang rasa, kasih sayang, hormat menghormati, tolak ansur, etc.
Update (4/8/2011):
GOSH! Even BBC reported this news! Read it here.
Excellent post. BTW i think one of the hosts at the end of the advertisement is Indian.
Philip: I oso got suspect but can't confirm :p
errr… I didn't think there was any problem on sleeveless thing. I don't see the implication over sleeveless there. But hey, it might just be me.
And I guess it could be offensive. But then again, everything on the tv is pretty much offensive. Only whether we choose to see it or not. 🙂
1. I don’t think 8TV (or in specific the production team for this Ad) has any intention to degrade or leave out any race in this advertisement.
2. I also think this advertisement is irreverent to the Holy Month.
3.I don’t think Malaysians need a reminder on how to behave in public (or in Pasar Ramadhan).
4. There is no urgency for this reminder.
5. But I appreciate the effort done by 8TV to send their well wish to all Muslims. But probably they should have been more sensitive on how they portray any race.
🙂
I just watched it again and just saw the last part on sleeveless thing. (I skipped it the 1st time I watched it)
Although I agree the commercial is outright stupid, and in absolute poor taste, I think I understand why they did that last part. Actually, it's not so much about race, it's actually about religion.
Allow me to explain so you would understand a bit.
We were supposed to “take care of our our senses” during this Ramadhan, which means take care not only mouth (no eat and drink and no talking inappropriate things) take care of our ears (no hearing inappropriate things) and take care of our eyes (no watching inappropriate thing). Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying she dress wrong and she does have the freedom to wear anything she want, but for us, we’re suppose to not look at it. but when it’s in front of us, how can we not look right?
So perhaps what they wanted to convey is to be considerate. Only the way they did it is wrong, and creates such a mess. They assume everyone knows this when in truth, not a lot of non Muslims understand it. Heck, I think many of Muslims themselves don’t get it.
btw, that woman in red (the sort-of-host) is also something we “shouldn’t look at”. She has the absolute wrong dress code in all versions of this ad. They really didn’t think this through~ haisy
@Nana: Mind to elaborate what's wrong with the host's dress code?
It's tight, it's provocative and while looking like a Muslim, she's not wearing a tudung. I know, it's sounds simple and it really is a normal thing to see, but in our religion, those are considered revealing "aurat" which is a sin, and a sin for those guys(who are not related by blood with her) to see it. Those are one of the sin we strive to avoid during this month. But yeah, even if it's not there, it's everywhere in tv, magazines, billboards, real life done by Non-Muslims and Muslims alike. So it's kinda difficult to explain it, without going through the whole thing.
Sorry if I sound blasphemous, but I'm pretty much against the mandatory of pakai tudung and tutup aurat thing.
I was brought up in a society where exposing neck, arm, leg is not considered revealing or offensive. If a man got aroused by looking at aurah-exposing lady, the blame should go to the man instead of the lady.
And I agree that the commercial has nothing to do with race. But with the high number of people condemning it from racial point of view, I would say that the commercial is inappropriate for a country of high racial tension.
8TV should use the brain and fire the management team who create such advertisement, 2 alphabet. GG!