THE Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts is sticking to its decision to ban a film on former political detainee Said Zahari.

The ban stays because the film gives a 'distorted and misleading portrayal' of his arrest and detention under the Internal Security Act, said the press secretary of Mica's Acting Minister Lui Tuck Yew.

It is 'an attempt to exculpate him from his past involvement in communist united front activities against the interests of Singapore', added Ms Julia Hang in her email to the film's director Martyn See on Monday.

She also said the film, Zahari's 17 Years, was assessed in its entirety, and that every part of it should be taken in the context of the entire film, which gives a distorted portrayal of Said Zahari's arrest and detention under the ISA.

Mica had reassessed the film following Mr See's request to Mr Lui last month, to review the ban imposed in 2007.

Mr See, 40, had directed, shot and edited the 50-minute piece, which consists largely of an interview with Mr Said, who was detained from 1963 to 1979, and now lives in Kuala Lumpur. The film became the first to be banned under section 35(1) of the Films Act, which allows the minister to order a ban if he feels the work is against public interest.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.