KUALA LUMPUR: Creative content in television dramas that portrays characters using honorific titles such as Tun, Tan Sri, and Datuk Seri is allowed as long as it does not go against existing guidelines and the Rukun Negara, says Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

       The Communications and Multimedia Minister told Parliament that the ministry will always monitor the content of shows on television.

       "In our community, there are many types of titles, teacher, ustaz, ustazah, tok imam, tok guru, Yang Berhormat, Yang Amat Berhormat, Datuk Seri, Datuk, Datin and so on.

       "We allow these creative approaches in the drama scripts as long as it does not go against certain guidelines and the principles of the Rukun Negara," he told Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (PH-Kuala Langat) during Question Time.

       Hasanuddin had asked the Ministry whether it monitored drama scripts where characters with honorific titles were depicted as participating in immoral activities.

       Annuar also explained that there were two ways content is procured including one that is made by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) on its own and from content creators through a pitching process to vet the content.

       He added that the drama content must be made in line with the suitability of the current public situation.

       On the proposal to adopt professional wrestling programmes and promote them on government media platforms such as RTM, Annuar admitted that he has little information on the issue and was prepared to hold talks with relevant industry players.