Local Shows & Films Are “As Good As Anything On Netflix,” Says Astro CEO

Astro Group CEO, Euan Smith, said locally produced shows like One Cent Thief, Kahar: Kapla High Council, and Sheriff: Narko Integriti are on par with Netflix shows, and can still be improved.

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Some of us have a love-hate relationship with Astro Malaysia. The company has its issues over the years as all businesses do but it’s undergoing changes and improvements under the lead of Group CEO Euan Smith.

Smith said Astro will be going through an “aggressive reset” and actively pivoting from linear channels, satellites, and legacy operations to an on-demand, digital, streaming-first company.

In an interview with Philip See during The Breakfast Grille segment, Smith shared that one of the few things they did to improve its services was to simplify its old subscription packages.

This makes it easier for customers to understand what they’re getting. Astro also introduced Sooka, an over-the-top service (OTT) targeted at millennials.

However, Smith mentioned an interesting bit about our local films during the conversation.

Smith shared that local movies and shows like One Cent Thief, Kahar, and Sheriff are “as good as anything on Netflix.”

To prove his point, he said once these shows were exhausted on the Astro platform, they’re sold to Netflix where the films reach the top 10 list.

Malaysia has the talent but lacks a good plan

Before taking on the role of CEO at Astro, Smith admitted that he didn’t think Malaysia would be known for making films but found the vibrancy and innovation of local teams here to be “really great.”

This prompted See to question why the government is not making moves to rival South Korea’s film industry.

Smith said he has talked to many relevant people in the industry and believes Malaysia needs a “joint machine” to tackle three things: piracy, creating a level playing field for local companies, and putting money into the flag (putting Malaysia on the map).

Screenshot of the interview between The Breakfast Grille host Philip See and Astro GCEO Euan Smith.

Smith said piracy is still rampant in Malaysia and there are no tough rules like in Singapore and the Philippines.

Secondly, he believes in creating a level playing field for local companies like Astro, Media Prima, and RTM to compete against global OTT like Netflix, Disney Plus Hotstar, Amazon Prime, and HBO Go.

Why is this important? Smith explained that the foreign OTTs are essentially stealing the local market without paying taxes. In addition, these OTTs are taking ad spend and ad revenues from local companies.

Smith reiterated that Malaysia should have a consistent and concerted plan to level the playing field for local companies, citing how this was what South Korea did to catapult their entertainment industry.

As for putting Malaysia on the map, he suggested having conferences and focusing on the quality of output. He noted that Malaysia’s animation and kid shows do well abroad. He said films for adult viewers are gradually getting international recognition, citing the film Sheriff has performed well in Indonesia.

What is One Cent Thief, Sheriff, and Kahar about?

One Cent Thief is a series produced by Astro Shaw and Independent Pictures Sdn Bhd. The story is inspired by real-life Malaysian robber Aman Shah, who was nicknamed the “one-cent thief.”

In the show, the main character’s name is changed to Iman Shah, a computer hacker who stole one sen from each account at the bank he works at to help finance his father’s mounting medical costs.

Meanwhile, Sheriff: Narko Integriti is a 2024 Malay-language film starring Zul Ariffin as the titular character, a police investigator named Sheriffuddin Hussein aka Sheriff.

Sheriff is tasked to investigate a serial killer who has been murdering the associates of a drug kingpin. The action-thriller uncovers tales of deceit and has been praised for its plot and cinematography.

As for Kahar: Kapla High Council, the film is a prequel and sequel film to the highly popular series Projek: High Council.

The story follows a quiet and socially awkward high schooler, Kahar, who finds himself embroiled in a fight to be the Kapla, the leader of the High Council, an underground bullying ring.

His intentions to join the brutal competition started with noble intentions but it would soon prove tough to stay the course. The action film explores the themes of friendship, family, and loyalty.

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