Mainland Chinese platform iQiyi’s new original drama, “Madu Atau Racun”, is being hammered by Malaysian authorities for crossing religious and cultural boundaries in suggesting a romantic entanglement between two women.

The Malay drama, produced by Malaysia’s MiG Production, is directed by Eyra Rahman for iQiyi, which is also the home of blockbuster global period drama “Pursuit of Jade” and is pushing its original production slate in Southeast Asia. 

“Madu Atau Racun” – translated as “Honey or Poison” – is about a wife whose life changes when her husband brings a second wife into their home. As the two women picked through their complicated history, viewers started commenting on a romantic dimension. 

The series, starring Singapore’s Aliff Aziz, Uqasha Senrose and Elisya Sandha, has never been marketed as a GL title. 

On 2 September, Malaysia’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, went public, rejecting the drama and talking about maintaining appropriate religious and cultural boundaries. 

The producers and iQiyi were summoned by Malaysia’s media authorities to explain.

iQiyi said conversations were held with numerous agencies – including FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia), MCMC (Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission), JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia), CMCF (Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia) and others – and that it was “currently reviewing and making the necessary edits to all episodes to ensure the content complies with local guidelines”.   

GL drama fans say the Chinese streamer has now pulled the six episodes of “Madu Atau Racun” released so far, and has put the content of the other six under a microscope for fear of causing further uproar. 

iQiyi’s official statement acknowledged concerns and apologised “for any discomfort caused”. The platform said it was taking the concerns seriously and respected “the religious and cultural values as well as the sensitivities of Malaysian society”.  

As other religious bodies weighed in on the harm being done to religious values, MiG also apologised, saying that no offence was intended. 

“The production has always taken into account the guidelines and advice given regarding sensitivities. There was never any intention, nor did it ever cross our minds, to touch on or raise any controversy,” the production house said, adding: “We respect the views of all parties and take this matter as a lesson for us to improve going forward”.

A new release date has not been confirmed. iQiyi said it would wait for clearance before resuming broadcast.  

“We remain committed to providing full cooperation and implementing all agreed-upon improvements. Thank you for your patience and understanding,” the Chinese platform said on Friday (4 Sept). 

Malaysia’s stand on LGBTQ+ content is no secret, and the sharp differences between markets like Taiwan and Thailand and Malaysia prompted GL site, girlsloveinfo.com, to talk about the “very different environments in which Asian Girls Love stories are produced”. While Thailand and other Asian countries are “developing their own sapphic stories”, “Malaysia presents a particularly complex environment,” the site said.