So it turns out the video streaming game isn’t just heating up internationally, our own local boys are getting in on it too. This week, FINAS CEO dropped an absolute gem of a statement when he called for Netflix to be censored in Malaysia. Of course, it turned out that the dude was simply trying to make it easier for a brand new local video streaming platform, Aflix, to grow.
Now if you’ve never heard of Aflix, you’re not really missing out on much. The platform sounds like one of those ideas that get rejected on Shark Tank for being, well, stupid. Aflix promotes itself as the the 1st ethical entertainment platform in Malaysia.Yup, whatever that means. So, because the FINAS CEO had an ulterior motif for saying what he said, it kind of did the opposite of what he had originally intended.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Aflix CEO Mohd Fadzil Hashim has come out and not only claimed that Aflix TV is a better option for parents that love their kids, but also went as far as to say this:
“Those who are angry at the suggestion to censor Netflix content, do not love children.”
WHAT. A . GUY. With that kind of logical thinking, it’s no wonder he truly believes that Aflix is the better option for parents as compared to Netflix.
“Yes, Netflix has parental controls, but if parents want to watch Netflix shows at home, they have to watch separately from their children because of elements that are not in line with the values of Malaysian society, especially those who are not Muslims.”
I mean, at this point, I don’t really know what to say. I’d write about how blatantly uninformed he is but he’s doing a good job of proving that all on his own. He sounds like the kind of guy who would inquire to put a HALAL certification on a video streaming platform. In fact, he probably did and got rejected so instead he settled for the title of “1st ethical entertainment platform in Malaysia”.
I don’t know about you, but Netflix parental controls do a good enough job of keeping kids away from the things they shouldn’t be seeing. Even then, one could argue that there’s barely anything that obscene on Netflix anyway! Why anyone would want to limit their content library for the sake of “ethics” (which is not even really defined clearly by the company) is beyond me.
What both FINAS and Aflix CEO’s are doing is not just presenting the public with a false dilemma, but they’re also using anecdotal evidence to bring home their points, which is just rudimentary, really. But hey, at this point I guess it really is too much to expect more.
