DIRECTOR Syafiq Yusof has brushed off the notion that he is tarnishing the Royal Malaysia Police’s good image in his new movie, “Sheriff: Narko Integriti”, whose plot revolves heavily around corruption.
The 31-year-old filmmaker stated that he and his father, Datuk Yusof Haslam, have made so many movies and series about good policing that many began to question its validity.
“After filming movies like ‘KL Special Force’ and ‘Polis Evo 3’, I don’t know what else to do. So, I decided to come up with a heavy issue and to show the dark side of the police in ‘Sheriff’,” he said.
However, Syafiq stressed that he is not trying to put the police in a negative light. Instead, the movie is about both good cops and bad cops.
“I’ve tried to make movies about corruption in the force in the past but had to revise the script. But times have changed, and Bukit Aman is also becoming more open. Even some of the panellists on the Censorship Board who evaluated the movie were former high-ranking police officers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yusof, who is also the chairman of Skop Productions Sdn Bhd, said that the film displays an open nature in the context of Malay stories as well as taboo issues, which is why the audience is attracted to it.
“With the economy not being so good now, I was a bit worried about how the film would do in cinemas, but with Allah’s blessings, the film has been receiving an encouraging response, and for this, I am very grateful.”
To date, “Sheriff: Narko Integriti” has made RM35.3 million since its release on April 18.
