KUALA LUMPUR: Popular animated series Upin & Ipin has made Indonesian fans see red against one of its best known supporting characters.
The mischievous twins' loud-mouthed neighbour Fizi recently received a lot of "hate mail" from Indonesian viewers, for something he said in the series' episode Syahdunya Syawal on May 24.
Not only did Indonesian fans of the series slam the mop-topped boy, they also urged him to "apologise" for saying that there was no heaven for orphans.
Fizi, one of the best friends of the protagonist twins Upin and Ipin, uttered that line in a scene where they were visiting the graves of their deceased parents on the first day of Hari Raya.
In that scene, the twins' forthright and more mature friend Mail mentioned the famous proverb "Heaven lies beneath the mother's feet", and the older twin Upin asked "What if we have no mother?".
Fizi then blatantly said that there was no heaven for those with no parents, much to his friends' dismay.
His words were deemed disrespectful to many Indonesians, particularly orphans, and as a result, he became a trending topic on social media, garnering over 210,000 tweets which mostly condemned him.
"Memang tak betul budak ni," said Reza.
"I hate you Fizi," said Feni.
"Please explain yourself and apologise, Fizi," said Jun.
Upin & Ipin production company Les' Copaque's creative content director Nur Naquyah Burhanuddin said in a news report yesterday that the fans' anger towards Fizi showed that they were devoted followers of the animated series and loved its protagonists dearly.
"They just love Upin and Ipin, that is why they got so angry with Fizi and his remarks," she said.
Nur Naquyah added that they were not angry with her company, but only with Upin's and Ipin's insensitive friend.
"They all want him to apologise to Upin and Ipin. Will he do so? We have to wait and see."
She also said that Upin's question and Fizi's remark were meant to be "food for thought" for viewers.
"Upin & Ipin focuses on everyday values and issues we all face. It gives room for viewers to think about them."
Syahdunya Syawal was screened on Indonesian television network MNCTV. Upin & Ipin is now in its 14th season in Indonesia, and is screened on Astro Ceria (631) in Malaysia.