KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 -- Universiti Malaya (UM) has issued a formal apology following a public outcry over a suggestive theatre scene that went viral on social media, clarifying that the performance had deviated from its original, vetted script.

The controversy stems from a clip of a performance during the Universiti Malaya Theatre Carnival (KARVITER).

The footage showed a male and female actor alone together on a bed under dimmed lighting. In the scene, the male actor is seen slowly crawling forward in a suggestive manner while the female actor begins to lie down, shortly before the sequence is interrupted.

In a statement today, the university said it takes the matter seriously and acknowledges the concerns raised by the public.

UM ...