Banning Spree

You know, I think Malaysia is soon going to be famous for banning things.

Two weeks ago, the ministry of health threaten to ban preserved plums from china because those plums contained a high level of lead which could result in a woman being infertile. Now, that is what I call banning with a reasonable reason. If those preserved plums really contained such dangerous ingredient, then banning it would do well.

This week, the hype is on banning condoms and horror movies.

Let’s be reasonable, banning condoms? As it is the percentage of unwanted teenage pregnancy is high enough, imagine banning condoms! I am pretty sure, the percentage would rocket sky high. I am not saying I agree with promiscuous activities. No. I just think it’s better for those teenagers to practice safe sex rather than getting pregnant and later on dumping the child in dustbin, public toilets or burying them alive!

Besides that, condom is also a mean used to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Well, adults are no angels, some have multiple sleeping partners therefore the chances of contacting one of those diseases are definitely high. Besides that, it also a mean to prevent AIDS. Well, in a relationship, people do get intimate and I am pretty sure even people with AIDS are no exception therefore, condom is the answer. Even so, it’s not 100% safe. It is a risky thing.

So let’s just imagine without condom, percentage of unwanted teenage pregnancy would rocket sky high. Check. Percentage of promiscuous adults contacting STDs would rise. Check. Percentage of people contacting AIDS MIGHT go up, depending on the situation. Check. Oh, and last but not least, condoms are also used as a family planning method. So without it, our population would multiply like crazy so.. the percentage of population would rocket into space. Check.

I’ve named four negatives impact on banning condoms, name me four positives and I’ll call it even. Right now, I see negatives rather than positives.

Now as for horror movies, I totally DO NOT agree with banning them! I am a huge horror movie buff, banning it would definitely, definitely make me upset. I guess, horror movies does not educate people but tell me, does cicak man, jin notti or bohsia actually educate people? I think not.

Oh, I have even watched Pontianak Sundal Harum Malam (is that the title? The one starring Maya Karin?). That movie wasn’t that good but it got into some international movie competition didn’t it? And our very own Maya Karin won awards for playing the Pontianak. So let’s ban horror movies eh? Ironically, our local horror movie actually got our country into the international movie scene.

I see horror movies as a way to escape reality. Whenever I am down or upset, I watch horror movie, because by doing so, I wouldn’t think of what upset me and the problem would at least stop plaguing me for awhile. The adrenaline rush while watching a horror or slasher flick is exciting (beware, I may be a sadist for all you know.) to me.

And since we have the Censorship Board, isn’t that enough already? To edit scenes which are too scary or gruesome. And by doing so it actually minimize the scare factor just so the weaker hearts and the younger people can watch horror movie.
If the reason is, it’s not good for health or so. I suggest those with weak hearts or individuals who can’t take horror movie to avoid horror movie for good. I mean, why torture yourself if you can’t take it?

Overall, I think it is not a wise idea to ban horror movie. Horror movie fans would definitely hold a rally if they do and furthermore, our local movie scene depended on Pontianak Sundal Harum Malam to make it to the international movie scene.

So let’s just leave horror movies alone for now, please?