Dutch East Indies Colonial Government Tightens Film Censorship In The Archipelago In History Today, October 25, 1940

Spectators at the Rex Cinema, Batavia during the Dutch East Indies colonial period around 1940. (kitlv.nl)

JAKARTA History today, 83 years ago, October 25, 1940, the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies tightened the censorship of films in the archipelago. The decision was stated in the 1940 Film Ordonation. One of the narratives is explaining the screening of the film must have Dutch permission.

Previously, the presence of film performances to the archipelago changed everything. Entertainment immediately became the prima donna. Films from the United States are the most watched. Mainly, a film that tells the story of a champion against criminals.

Entertainment in the era of Dutch East Indies rule was hoarding. Khalayak freely chooses entertainment according to his wishes and pockets. Instead of just sitting in the park, entertainment arts are varied from tonil to play.

This condition makes people in the archipelago more open to a lot of entertainment. Whoever there is new entertainment, surely it will immediately become a hunt. Take for example when the film industry began to touch Nusantar in the late 19th century.

The screening of silent films is loved by all parties. From rich people to commoners. The presence of entertainment, which is often referred to by the people as image of idoep, has become the prima donna. The advertisements appear everywhere. Everything signifies a high sense of enthusiasm. Cinemas like it or not want to thrive.

Promising profits are the estuary. Entrepreneurs began to bring in many films from abroad. Films originating from the United States, for example. The arrival of films is perpetuated without any control function.

A set of rules has not been made. The government does not yet consider the existing films to be the cause of problems. However, slowly the incoming films began to vary. Hero-themed films that often play judges themselves are the most.

The narrative disturbed the Netherlands. The owner of power thinks the film could have a bad influence on Dutch power. They are worried that the bumiputras are motivated to perpetuate the rebellion and fight the Dutch.

The rules are also prepared. Film ordonation 1916 is perpetuated. The regulation requires the establishment of a film censorship commission institution. This institution is filled by five people, including one chairman.

The motivation that led to the emergence of government policies in 1916 was due to the large number of silent story films that entered the Dutch East Indies. The contents and images show the living behavior of western people who are full of fights, murder, rape, and freedom of sex," said M, Sarief Arief in the book Politics Film in the Dutch East Indies (2010).

Regulations that perpetuate film censorship are ineffective. Limitation of the space for film censorship commissions is the estuary. In fact, the flow of incoming western films is starting to stretch. Even film screenings have been present in big cities in the archipelago.

The government took a stand. The rules originally made in 1916 began to be perfected. The rule lasts forever known as the 1940 Film Ordonation on October 25, 1940. The Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Alidius Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer, also gave his blessing.

As a result, the regulation regulates quite a complete film performance in the archipelago. From the implementation of the show to the importer. Anyone who violates the provisions of the Dutch, then get ready to be sentenced to prison or fine.

This regulation contains films, film performances, imports and importers as stated in 11 chapters and 34 articles equipped with six government regulations as a complement. The most striking rule is the absence of a film display without the master's permission (film commission). Violators are also known for six months' sentence and a fine of 5 thousand guilders.

"The conditions for passing the test are very vague: not contrary to good decency, contrary to the public interest and have a bad effect on other aspects. This is based on suspicions of Indonesian films that are considered to have bad potential for socio-political developments so that the Dutch government does not allow the slightest opportunity to allow the land to colonize independence," said Novi Kurnia in his writings in the Journal of Social Science and Political Science entitled The Browse of Film Industry Growth (2006).