Harry Fear & Palestine

Recently I had a chance to interview Harry Fear, a British Journalist and documentary maker who have covered the war  that  is taking place in Palestine. This interview appeared in theSun on Wednesday Feb 27. Here is the story

Suggested Headline : Fear-less pursuit of Truth
BY Bissme S

HARRY FEAR is an independent British journalist, documentary maker and human rights advocate. His live reports on the carnage meted out by Israelis against the Palestinians has attracted a large following in the social media. Highly respected for his honest reporting, he is known to flesh out poignant insights that take place in war-torn Gaza.
Recently, Viva Palestina Malaysia, a local non-governmental organisation, invited him here to give a talk. Fear took some time from his busy schedule to answer questions from members of the press.

What is the greatest misconception Malaysians have about the war in Gaza?

That it is a religious conflict – which is a terrible misconception. Many of the Palestinians are Christians. When you to go to Gaza and you speak to Christian Palestinians, they just resent the identification as Christian Palestinians. They will just say ‘I am just Palestinian. It is a political conflict which started 65 years ago. It started between an indigenous population and a settled colonial population. It is really about land theft. Today, Palestinians are only living on 13% of the land that they were living on 65 years ago.

Do you think there will ever be a peaceful solution to this 65-year-old war?

Yes. There are reasons to be hopeful. If you look at the civil society of the world, people are increasingly fed up (with what’s happening in Gaza). The world is increasingly united and willing to do something and not just be sympathetic.

What motivated you to report the situation in Gaza?

The main reason is because I care. I do not want to die not having done anything. If you don’t do anything and when you look back at your life, you will say that you have wasted your life. And I do not want to waste my life. I feel personally motivated by my moral responsibility to bring some justice to the people of Palestine. The reason why Israel can kill 62 Palestinian children in two weeks is because people don’t do anything.

Does the situation in Gaza depresses you about life in general?

I am able to deal with the pain. In the situation of such pain, it can go two ways. It can go up or it can go down. In Gaza, it goes up and it is very hopeful. The people are unbreakable and if the people are unbreakable, then Israel cannot win. And that is very inspiring.

Do you think your work gets a lot of attention because you are a white man reporting on this war?

I get upset when people ask me about my race. In a lecture at The Hague, a young academician asked me whether I have ever thought about the effect I have as a white journalist. The way she put it was quite cynical. I was honest with her and I told her that I find her question
offensive.
I’m a young white man, fairly intelligent, fairly well educated, fairly articulate, who has gone to Gaza and I know this combination of my identity is what most people see me as, as a journalist.
Of course, I exploit this for the benefit of the Palestinians, using my skill as a journalist. Do I exploit my race? No, I don’t.
I never think of my race, especially when I am in Gaza [which] is the least racial orientated place I have ever seen. The Palestinians are ethnically mixed. It is not relevant whether I am white or not.
The reason we are having this interview is not because I am white. It is because I am fairly articulate. I am able to explain the situation (in Gaza) fairly well to the people.”

Are you a Muslim?

No. I believe in God but I am not a religious person. This is not a religious conflict. It is a political and humanitarian issue. It doesn’t matter what my religion is. In every single religion, there is a responsibility to help people.

What is the greatest misconception people have about you?

Some people who hate me are ignorant. Some of the reasons they hate me is because they think I’m rich. But I am not. My family is not rich, too.
People say that I’m a white saviour and I’m the voice of the Palestinians. But I have never claimed to be the voice of the Palestinians. I only represent myself.
I went to Gaza as a people’s journalist. I report what I see. I want the killing of the Palestinians to be stopped. I want the Palestinian children to be given a chance to live. I want Israel to stop shooting people in the head. I want the war to end.

Some documentary makers make films on the future. Do you have similar goals?

I am not interested in fiction. I have never appreciated fiction even as a child. The reality is richer than fiction. I became a documentary filmmaker because it is a powerful way to communicate with people – to get them to understand and feel (about the issues presented) and then do something about it.

Do you think documentaries can effect change?

In this 21st century, many films are made to entertain … just to give people an emotional ride. They lack political and moral context. You have a good cry in the cinema, you go home and you do not know what to do next, so you can forget about it. That is not good enough. You have to leave people with a sense of hope. You have to leave people with a sense of action, of what they can do next. Otherwise, what is the point of documenting the suffering?

A biography on Rose Chan

Today theSun published  my story where the  award winning poet Cecil Rajendra talks about this latest project. He has just written a biography on the life of the Malaysian queen of striptease Rose Chan . Here is the story.  

Title: Stripping bare The Rose

By Bissme S

Award winng poet Cecil Rajendra (below)has just completed a biography, entitled No Bed of Roses, that would likely raise a few eyebrows. The biography focuses on the late Rose Chan, Malaysia’s queen of striptease. 
Born Chan Wai Chang, she started her career as a cabaret dancer. The turning point in her career came when she was 27. Due to a ‘wardrobe malfunction', her brassiere snapped while she was dancing. 
She received thunderous applause from her audience, some of whom thought it was part of her performance
Seeing that the crowd loved it, she repeated this on a regular basis and eventually was bestowed the title’ of queen of striptease. The book is now in the hands of publisher Marshall Cavendish in Singapore and  is expected to hit the shelves before the year is out.
To date, the Penang-born poet has written 21 collections of poetry, published across 50 countries and translated into German, Japanese, Swahili, French, Chinese, Tamil,Bengali, Thai, Spanish, Malay, Dutch, Danish and Urdu, among others.In this exclusive interview, Cecil shares his thoughts on his new book.

* What we can expect from this book?

The initial title was The Last Days of Rose Chan but during the writing, I realised that in spite of all the glamour, Rose had a very tough life,  starting from her early childhood years – forced into wedlock at the age of  16, five failed marriages, hounded by the authorities, and finally falling  victim to the dreaded cancer. Her life was certainly No Bed of Roses!
No aspect of her life is left unturned – from her dancing, her strip shows,her husbands, her court cases and her sex secrets. Chan was also a great cook, accomplished ballroom dancer and philanthropist. I consider her to be our country’s first feminist – she could stand up to any man! What I admired most about her was her fearlessness and her fierce independent spirit.

Did you ever met Rose in person?

Rose Chan had been part of my schoolboy fantasies for decades, but I never got  to see any of her shows. In the 50s, a group of us tried to sneak in to watch  her perform. But we were caught and the security guards threw us out. The first time I met her was in 1980 when she came to Penang to spend her last days. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given six to 18 months to live. But she lived on for another six years.I was first hired as her lawyer.Later, she asked me to write her life story. Over the period of five years, we met frequently. Her narrative was never linear but always episodic – preferring to jump from one event to
another … as the mood took her.
I have spoken to dozens of people who had seen her shows but they only knew her as a striptease queen, but nothing of her private persona. Though there was one gentleman who claimed to have leapt on stage and help  extricate Rose from her python which was strangling her.” (One of Rose’s famous acts involved her wrestling with a python.)

What is the common misconception about Rose?

That she was a mere stripper, performing unsavoury acts and breaking the law  in the process. Nothing could be further from the truth ... up to her  retirement in the 70s, every one of her shows in Malaysia and Singapore was performed with a permit.
In 1959, a group of moralists petitioned the Ipoh Town Council not to issue  Rose a permit to perform. The acting chairman, Dr W. Holmes, brushed their  objections aside, saying:‘There is a tendency in every male to be something of  a peeping Tom. It is perhaps better that we issue this permit for a striptease show, than to have people peep into your bedrooms at night 

What kind of reaction do you think the book will receive?

I don’t know what sort of reaction the book will provoke ... but no matter what, it is bound to kick up a storm in these hypocritical ‘holierthan- thou’ times where there is far more censorship than in good old Tunku’s days

Marina Mahathir: Telling It Straight

Marina Mahathir has just came out her latest book Telling It Straight. Her launch took place at the Borders The Garden Kuala Lumpur. This article appeared in theSun on Nov 28. 

Caption : From left : Ineza Roussille ( Marina's  daughter), Tun Dr Siti Hasmah ( Marina's Mum), Marina and Shaista Mayada Sosrowardoyo ( Mariana's daughter)  

Headline : Making A Difference 
By Bissme S 

DATIN Paduka Marina Mahathir has been commenting on the political and social affairs of this country through her column in an English daily for the past two decades.
Recently, she decided to compile 90 of her best pieces of writing covering a wide range of topics like gender equality, politics, religion, HIV, education and free speech (some of which have never been published before), in a 264-page book entitled Telling It Straight (Editions Didier Millet/RM39.90).
At the launch of the book at Borders The Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, Marina sat down to talk about her work.

* What makes your book stand out from other compilations?

"I have no idea really. Maybe because my column has been around for so long. And perhaps because I'm a woman writer and there aren't that many books on popular social commentary by women in our country."

* Why is that? 

"Probably because people generally don't take women seriously. Women writers have to write novels, preferably on romance because apparently, that's all we think about.
"And we are not allowed to write about current affairs unless we're academics, in which case, nobody reads us anyway.
"Men churn out books on social and political commentary all the time. But not all of the books are good, yet people still read them because they think men, by virtue of being men, have the authority to talk about these things while women don't."

* Some believe books have lost their power to change society. Do you agree? 

"I think the power of ideas will always be strong and this power is conveyed through words. In the end, an idea has no power if it is not accepted by a lot of people.
"So how would they find out about this idea except by reading? Surely, this is one reason why people love putting quotes from public figures on their Facebook or in whatever they write.
"I do think writers play an important role in conveying these ideas to people.
"Many ideologues have written books and these books have been powerful, for example, Karl Marx's Das Kapital or Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. They get lots of followers this way.
"Similarly, with the words in the Quran or the Bible, beautiful and powerful words conveying ideas about justice, morality, etc are conveyed. So yes, books can change the world."

* What do you think about censorship in the mainstream media? Do you see yourself writing for online media where you can express yourself better without censorship?
"I think censorship is unfortunate and no media can truly call themselves credible if they insist on censoring, especially when there are alternative media around these days.
"It's frustrating for writers but our job is just to write, not to practise censorship on ourselves. Self-censorship is really the most insidious form of censorship.
"I have my blog, Facebook and Twitter, so I don't really need to go to any online media just to get my opinions published.
"That's the beauty of the internet today. Anyone can publish their own opinions.
"Then it's left to the discerning readers to decide which opinions are credible.
"And by the way, I don't know if it's true that online media never censors anything. When you select what you want to publish, you are already exercising a form of censorship."

* What are some of the changes you would like to see taking place in our country? 
"I'd like to see more openness in government and among people in general. People are so used to thinking in one way that they aren't aware there are other ways of thinking and seeing things, and therefore, find it discomfiting, even frightening, when a different point of view is put forward. The openness can only happen when all points of view are given equal airing."
  
* Some people think reading is a dying art form in Malaysia. Do you agree?   

"I don't think reading should be thought of as an art form because that immediately makes it elitist and inaccessible to most.
"It amazes me how many large bookstores we have even when we're being told that Malaysians don't read much.
"They are reading something but we need to see what it is that they are reading. Are they stretching their minds when they read?
"There is no other way to encourage people to read than by getting interesting books published. If we encourage good writing, then people will read.
"Just look at how Harry Potter made so many children read."
"I was just at the Singapore Writers Festival and was amazed at what an interesting event it was with so many different authors and genres of writing, in different languages.
How come we don't have something like that in Malaysia?"

*What are the biggest misconceptions people have about you?

"That I'm hard-working. But actually, I'm very lazy and procrastinate all the time."


************

Because of space constraint, there were some questions that I asked Marina Mahathir was not published in the interview that appeared in theSun newspaper. However I take the opportunity to put the extra question this blog.   

*Most people have the impression compiling your columns into a book are an easy task. Do you agree?  

Most people think that because the columns are already written.  But they forget that I write 24 or 26 columns a year and I've been writing for some 20 years, so there are about 480 columns we have to choose from because obviously we can't put every single one in the book. That's the tough part, the selection. Luckily my editor does that because I can't. Once they are selected, it's a matter of grouping them according to themes and writing some introductions for them.

* What are some of best compliments and worst criticisms you have received about your writing? 

The best compliment is probably when people say that I put into words what they think and feel. I don't pay much attention to criticisms  so I wouldn't know what the worst ones are.

* You have been writing for more than 20 years. Do you ever face a burn out? 

No I don't actually. In fact I think I should write more but I am so busy that I don't really get to. Actually I write much more than my columns because I give a lot of talks and I write my own speeches. I have my favourite themes but there are never-ending subjects to talk about so I never feel burnt-out. I feel more burnt-out with the state of things in our country but I do think writing is one way of getting different perspectives across.

*Tell us something about your childhood years that have a big influence on you as a  writer?

I always loved reading and writing in my childhood, something which my parents always encouraged. My favourite and best subject in school was English. So I knew I would be a writer of some sort, possibly a journalist. And that's exactly what I became for a while until I realised that there is more to writing than just reporting.
My parents always also encouraged me to be aware of what was happening in the world and I realised as an adult that I could combine that with my writing skills to convey certain messages to whoever reads me. Communications is about being able to convey complicated ideas and events in a simple way. without compromising the integrity of the information. That's what I try to do.


* What is the biggest challenges  you faced as a  columnist in Malaysia?

Trying to stay current is always a challenge. My column comes out once every two weeks so I have to keep in mind that I'm not talking about something which is already stale. Sometimes things just don't happen within the week I have to submit my column so when it does appear, it can seem a bit out of synch with the topic of the day. I can't help that and I certainly don't want to change to a weekly column because it's hard enough trying to keep up with a fortnightly one.


* What is your advice to budding writers out there? 

If you feel an urge to write, then write. Like everything else, writing takes practice so you just need to start writing and not worry if you're writing well or not. Eventually you'll find your unique voice and that's really what people want to read. Blogging is good because it gives you feedback and I've discovered so many good writers through reading blogs.  

The Story Of Deepavali

Deepavali had just passed. To celebrate this occasion theSun run picture story on one of the mythologies behind the celebration. On the front page of the Sun, on the eve deepavali ( Nov 12), we had a picture of a dancer in a multi exposure. ( like below) 

Then on the page 19, we run a picture story of how the evil King Narakasura was defeated which also marks the triumph of good over evil ( like below   

  

I would like to thank The Temple of Fine Arts for agreeing to do this photo shoot. Many thanks to the sun photographers Syed Azhar Syed Osman and Norman Hi who put their sweat and blood into this project. Now for the full story 

Headline: The story of Deepavali 

By Bissme S 

PIX BY SYED AZHAR SYED OSMAN AND NORMAN HIU/THE SUN

TOMORROW, Hindus all over Malaysia will becelebrating Deepavali, also known as the Festival of

Lights. There will be rituals to follow such as taking an oil bath, prayers to be said, putting on new clothes and preparing delicious food like ladoo, jalabi, murukku, mysore pak and adhirasam to be served to family, relatives, friends and guests who will be visiting them.

To celebrate this festival, theSun invited five dancers from the Temple of Fine Arts to tell in dance form the most popular mythology associated with the origin of this festival – the tale of King Narakasura who was corrupted by power and was in the end defeated by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama in a

triumph of good over evil.

Scene 1

King Narakasura (played by PremSagar Krishnan, 23) has been praying and meditating for many years.

Scene 2

From heaven comes Lord Brahma (Nageshwaran Ramachandran, 13) to bless King Narakasura. Lord Brahma says to him: “I am impressed with your prayers. You can ask me for any thing you want.” Narakasura asks that no one can kill him except his mother,

Bhuma Devi (Printha Selvadurai, 20).

Scene 3

Knowing that no mother can kill her own flesh and blood, Narakasura becomes corrupted by absolute power. For years, he rules his kingdom with an iron fist bringing terror and misery to the people

Scene 4

Up in heaven, Lord Krishna (Pankhuri Agrawal, 21) and his wife Satyabhama (Swathi Sivadas, 21) hear the cries of the people. Lord Krishna says: “I have to save the people.” So war is declared between Lord Krishna and King Narakasura.

Scene 5

Lord Krishna is wounded in the battle. Satyabhama is furious and vows to kill Narakasura, who replies arrogantly that no one can kill him except his mother.

Scene 6

Satyabhama manages to defeat Narakasura who begs for his life. But she shows him no mercy and kills him.

Scene 7

Narakasura realises that Satyabhama is the reincarnation of his mother Bhuma Devi and that’s why she could defeat him. He breathes his last on his mother’s lap. He tells Satyabhama: “Do not cry mother. You have done the right thing to kill me as I have been evil. I’m glad to have you as my mother.” Showing regrets for being an evil king, Narakasura says that his death should be celebrated as a victory of light over darkness and the triumph of good over evil.

Scene 8

Because Narakasura has repented forhis evil deeds, he becomes a celestial being after his death. He then seeks blessings from both Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama.

NADIRAH

The stage play Nadirah  directed by Jo Kukathas and Asmalan Doraisingam  and written Alfian Saat is currently playing at KLPAC. The play has been getting some positive reviews. 
The Sun carried two articles on the stage plays. Both has been interesting interviews. The first article appears Aug 31 where I interview the director of play Jo Kukathas.  
The second article appears Nov 1 where I interview the lead cast Patrick Teoh and Neo Swee Lin.  In both of the articles the cast have said something very interesting.  I have posted both of the articles here. 

THE FIRST ARTICLE IN THE SUN ( AUG 31) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jo Kukathas  from the Instant Cafe Theatre Company (ICT) has directed compelling theatre productions such as Air Con and Parah in the past. Her latest play, Nadirah, to be staged at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) from Nov 1 to 11, will be another eye-opener for theatre fans.
The story takes place in Singapore and centres on university student Nadirah who is a product of a mixed marriage. Her father is a Malaysian Malay and her mother, a Singaporean Chinese who had converted to Islam.
After her parents’ divorce, she lives with her mother, Sahirah, in Singapore. Both mother and daughter share a close bond.
But then, the relationship hits a rough patch when Nadirah finds out, to her dismay, that her mother is considering getting married to a Doctor Robert, who is a non-Muslim.
In Singapore, a Muslim can get married to a non-Muslim under civil law, with each spouse maintaining his or her own religion.
Will religion cause friction between mother and daughter? Will love or faith prevail?
Written by Alfian Saat from Singapore, the cast comprises Neo Swee Lin (as Sahirah), Ani Juliana Ibrahim (Nadirah), Patrick Teoh (Robert), Redza Minhat (Farouk) and Farah Rani (Maznah).
Having watched a rehearsal of the play, it is quite clear to this writer that Nadirah will touch the hearts of the audience and even stimulate their minds into having interesting discussions. This play is another winner that can be added to Jo Kukathas’ belt.


* What attracted you to direct Nadirah?

“The story draws inspiration from the Maria Hertogh case (which took place in Singapore during the 1950s). Maria’s Dutch parents were involved in a custody battle with her adoptive Malay mother.
“There was a public outcry over the case, not out of love for Maria but out of moral righteousness, and there was tension in the country.
“In Malaysia, we have our fair share of such stories and our hearts go out to those whose lives are suddenly turned upside down simply because they dare to love.
“Nadirah tells how the love between a mother and her child is tested by their different beliefs and the beliefs of those around them. So, the dilemma faced here is whether we follow the path of love or the path of religious conviction.
“Nadirah is part of a trilogy written by Alfian as a tribute to (the late) Yasmin Ahmad. Nadirah pays tribute to Yasmin’s film Muallaf in a very essential way.
“The tag line for that film was “It is in forgiving that we are forgiven’. I think now in Malaysia more than ever, we have to return to compassion, forgiveness, love and humour. If not, we are lost.”

* What is your favourite scene in Nadirah?

“It’s the scene between Robert, who is the doctor Nadirah’s mum meets and falls in love with, and Farouk, who’s Nadirah’s classmate and love interest.
“These two men meet to talk over some very difficult and personal issues of love and faith. But they also end up talking enthusiastically about football.
“And through this very human and warm interaction about that ‘beautiful game’ they love, the audience get to see their common humanity.”

* What are some of the biggest challenges you faced in directing this play?

“It’s a sad fact that my company and other theatre companies are unable to find funding to do even one play a year. I’m forced to work in Singapore and it’s out of necessity.
“I would really love to direct more plays in Malaysia but I believe there is still a lack of political will to support the local performing arts. If indeed there’s funding from the government or other agencies, it’s not clear where it is going to.
“The lack of funding is one of the reasons the performing arts scene in Malaysia is not developing. We have lagged far behind our Singaporean, Thai, Indonesian and Cambodian
neighbours. You can say our arts scene is in financial doldrums.”

* How do you overcome this?

“Our funds have always come from individuals who felt a strong link to our work as a different artistic point of view and also a much needed voice for urban Malaysians.
“Our previous production Parah is a prime example of the deep personal relationship we have with the audience.
“The conservative corporations and government bodies felt Parah was not a great fit for them to support financially.
“But thanks to great individuals who stepped forward (such as Instant Cafe Theatre Angels) and independently helped to raise funds for the production, we were able to stage Parah and get a wide section of urban Malaysians to watch it. We had a completely sold-out production.
“If you believe in plays such as Parah and want us to bring more good theatre to the stage, then sign up to be an Instant Cafe Theatre Angel.
“You can be a Bronze Angel for RM500 or a Blue Sapphire Angel for RM9,999 and above. Every ringgit counts.
“If you want to support us and be an angel, email to admin@ instantcafetheatre.com for details.”




THE SECOND ARTICLE IN THE SUN  NOV 1 
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Suggested Headline : Love Story 2012 
By Bissme S 


A Singaporean Muslim convert and divorcee, Shahirah, and a Christian widower, Robert, fall in love and plan to get married. In Singapore, a Muslim can marry a non-Muslim under civil law, with each spouse maintaining his or her own religion.
But Shahirah’s university-going daughter Nadirah disapproves of her mother’s relationship with a non Muslim. Can this love story have a happy ending?
This interesting plot is being tackled in a theatre production entitled Nadirah. Written by Alfian Sa’at and directed by Jo Kukathas and Amsalan Doraisingam, this play will be staged at klpac (Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre) from Nov 1 to 11.
Playing the forbidden lovers are 49-year-old Singaporean award-winning actress Neo Swee-lin and 65-year-old Malaysian actor and former radio personality Patrick Teoh. Others in the play include Redza Minhat, Farah Rani and Ani Juliana Ibrahim.
In this exclusive interview, Neo and Teoh share their views on the play and how they fell about working in Malaysia and Singapore.

* What attracted you two to the roles in Nadirah?   

Neo: “This is my first role playing a Muslim. The gift of theatre is that you can lead other lives that you will never be able to discover otherwise. What I like best is when my character fell in love with a man of a different faith, she believes it is possible that they can be together and still hold on to their different faith.
“It is so cute and touching to see this middle-aged couple, who are close to their 50s and who have already lived lives and had relationships with other people, falling in love and behaving like teenagers. What makes us think falling in love is only for the young?
“The play doesn’t provide solutions but it does ask questions. In theory, it will be great if everybody has one religion. But we do not. We are a plural society and we should celebrate the diversity of it.” 

Teoh: “I am not a method actor. I play a doctor here but you will not see me in a doctor’s office to find out what goes on there. I depend very much on the director and the words and situation the writer gives me. I strongly believe an actor is only as good as the material that he has to work with. 
“When I do theatre, which is not very often, I only work with people I know. It will take a lot from me to accept a role with a director I’ve never worked with before. When you work with strangers, you have to deal with egos. 
“Nadirah is a timely play for us in Malaysia. We are living through inter-religious and inter-racial tensions every day of our lives. This play is very relevant to what’s going on here.”

* How will you react if you were in the character’s shoe in real life?  

Neo: “I cannot speak as a Muslim because I’m not a Muslim. But as a Catholic, I married a man who was a free thinker. Suddenly, after 15 years of marriage, he wanted to convert to Catholicism. I did not force him, neither did my family. Even my mum told my husband that he should do it for himself, not because he’s married to me.” 

Teoh: “I’m one of those people who will jump into the relationship if I was attracted to a woman of a different faith. I will fight whatever problems I might face in the future. Religion has always been manipulated to divide people.”  

* You two have worked in both the Malaysian and Singapore entertainment scene. What is the biggest difference and challenge you find?  

Neo: “People in Singapore are very much into goals. I do not feel very stressed when I was in Malaysia for my theatre rehearsals. They do not fine you or lock the doors if you are five minutes late. Discipline is important but once you start going crazy over it, you are creating a negative environment. I guess I like the organised chaos here.
“The only thing that is not so nice here is that you can only rehearse in the evenings because most of the actors are not full time. In Singapore, that is not the case but the problem there is that the actors take on too many jobs and by the time they come for rehearsal, they are drained.”


Teoh: “In Singapore, I have only worked for television shows. Everything is orderly. Everything starts on time. In Malaysian television productions, you are eating all the time. Personally, I like the relaxed atmosphere here. But it must not affect the work we are doing.”

TANDA PUTERA & SHUHAIMI BABA

On September 18 theSun published an interview of mine where I have interviewed Shuhaimi Baba talking about her latest film Tanda Putera.  

 Title: That one day in May

Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba shares her views on her latest movie which revisits an unpleasant part of our nation’s history

BY Bissme S

Award-winning filmmaker Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba’s latest movie Tanda Putera delves into a dark yet significant chapter of Malaysia’s history.Its storyline centres on how the late Tun Abdul Razak, who was prime minister from 1970 to 1976, and his deputy, the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, restored racial harmony and peace in the country after the infamous racial riots of May 13, 1969. 

Award-winning actor Rusdi Ramli plays the titular role of Abdul Razak, while model-turned-actor Zizan Nin takes to the screen as Ismail. Others in the cast of local celebrities include Faezah Elai, Linda Hashim, Kavita Sidhu and Norman Hakim.

Here, Shuhaimi sheds more light on Tanda Putera, produced on a budget of RM5 million and set for a nationwide release on Nov 15.

*Why did you make this film?

I wanted the younger generation to be aware of the May 13 incident, how racial riots almost destroyed our country and why we shouldn’t let this happen again. We must now selfishly safeguard the peace of  this country.
“This is not a political film. It’s a film about humanity. No country in the world has faced a similar situation like ours, where both the prime minister and deputy prime minister had to brace a critical illness (Razak was suffering from leukaemia and Ismail had a heart problem) while having to handle tension among various racial groups.
“These leaders put the nation before their health. There were allegations that Razak had orchestrated the racial riots just to win the election. But I believe that was impossible.”

*Why do you think these allegations existed in the first place?

I don’t understand much about politics. But what I do know is that in politics, you have camps and you want to safeguard your power base, so you create conspiracy theories.
Our research shows that after Singapore left Malaysia (in 1965), there had been many efforts to destabilise this country.
The young people today do not understand that at that time, the threat of communism and radical elements were very real. It’s difficult to imagine the situation today, because our country is so peaceful now.

*Comments have been made that you make the Chinese look bad in this film. What do you have to say to that?

You cannot judge the entire film by just looking at the trailer. In the movie, I highlight the communists who create chaos but I also feature Malay gangsters who cause discord too.
There is also a rally before the 1969 election where some people are singing songs that praise Mao Tse-tung. Some are holding placards that belittle the Malays. It’s clear the rival groups are going beyond the limit.
What upset me most were the remarks I received (via Facebook). They were racist, rude and vulgar. I didn’t create those images in the film out of nothing. I have done much research [on the subject].”

*What have you learnt about Razak and Ismail while making this film?

I learnt of Razak’s great love for the people, especially the poor and the destitute. He always carried a book with him wherever he went. The book was called The Pathology of Leadership and it tells about leaders around the world who are suffering from critical illnesses and how they are dealing with it.
These leaders believed that they should not make their ailments public as it could destabilise the country. So, Razak kept his illness a secret because he didn’t want to weaken the country.
As for Ismail, I found out that he had given his Chinese maid a loan so that she could buy her own house. Apparently, she is still keeping the house in remembrance of  Ismail.
I was also always under the impression that it was Tunku Abdul Rahman who gave former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad the boot from Umno.
“But I was wrong. It was Ismail.”

*Is there any other historical event in our country that you would like to make a film on?

I would like to make a film on how Mahathir saved our country from economic disaster in 1998 when the world economy crashed.
Then there was the sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by Mahathir, which gave rise to  another dramatic chronology of events in Malaysia’s history.

Saloma & Sharifah Aini

Today I am highlight a story that appeared in  the Merdeka supplement  of theSun  newspaper  in Aug 31, 2012. Here is the story  

The two nightingales of the nation

Biduanita Negara is the most prestigious title awarded to singers who have contributed immensely to the music industry and to the nation. The first singer to receive this honour was the popular Saloma in 1978. 28 years later, after Saloma’s death, Persatuan Penyanyi, Pemuzik, Penulis Lagu Tanah Air (Papita) honoured this title to the evergreen Sharifah Aini in 2006. Indeed, the two nightingales are our national treasures and this Merdeka, theSun’s BISSME S. pays a special tribute to them.  

SALOMA

Saloma’s real name was Salmah Ismail. Born on Jan 23, 1935 in Singapore, Saloma harboured the ambition of becoming a singer from young.

“When we were children, she would always tell me: “I will become a famous singer and you a famous actress.” 

“I asked her – ‘Why would you become a singer and I become an actress?’ She told me that I was fair and she was dark,” said Saloma’s elder sister, actress Mariani. 

Saloma’s prediction became a reality. Mariani won a beauty pageant and was offered an opportunity to become an actress. Saloma made her mark as a singer. At the age of 13, Saloma was singing at weddings and festive events.At the age of 17, she was singing at the nightclub circuit and dabbled in acting. She also performed in Australia, Hong Kong and Bangkok.

One of her fondest memories with Saloma was when they were working with the Malay Film Productions (MFP). It was a Singaporean film studio, set up by the Shaw Brothers – Run Run Shaw and Run Me Shaw – in 1947, producing Malay films.

The sisters had a great time meeting and mingling with popular Hollywood actors – from sultry actress Eva Gardener to the great thriller director, Alfred Hitchcock, who visited Singapore as well as the MFP.  

“I remember we helped Elizabeth Taylor to get dressed in a songket,” she said.

“John Wayne carried us in his arms when he took pictures with us. Marlon Brandon was checking out my sister from top to toe. My sister was then known as Singapore’s Marilyn Monroe.”      

Mariani claimed that the sisters had never had any fierce arguments.

“When I was seven and Saloma was five, we had a big argument,” said 79-year-old Mariani.   

“Our father was angry at us for quarrelling and tied us to a guava tree for hours. Ants were all over our legs.

“We suffered. Since then, we were so afraid to quarrel because we do not want our father to punish us again. Even as grown-ups with our father no longer around, we carried on with the tradition of not quarrelling with each other.”

In 1961, Saloma got married to the legendary multi-talented P. Ramlee. It was her third marriage.     

“P. Ramlee and I were dating,” said Mariani.

“We were supposed to get married. But when I learned that my sister Saloma was in love with him, I sacrificed my love for her.”   

P. Ramlee disliked the idea of Mariani becoming an actress. So Mariani went into acting and that was enough for P. Ramlee to end their relationship.

“But I have no regrets of giving him up,” she said.  

“You can always find boyfriends and husbands but not sisters.”  

She pointed out that P. Ramlee was the love of Saloma’s life and a part of Saloma died when P.Ramlee succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 44 in 1973.

“She (Saloma) always said to me – With him gone, I have no reason to continue living,” said Mariani.  

“I had to comfort her and always encourage her to carry on with her life without Ramlee.”   

Ten years later, on Apr 25, 1983, at the age 48, Saloma passed away due to liver failure associated with jaundice. She was buried next to P. Ramlee, as she had wished.

“After my sister died, for 20 years, I refused to listen to any of her songs,” said Mariani 

“I refused to see any of her movies. I sent all her pictures to my daughter’s house. I did not want anything that reminded me of Saloma. Any memories of her would just bring tears to my eyes.” 

Now that she has come to terms with her sister’s death, Mariani expressed sadness and disappointment that her sister’s contribution to the entertainment industry has been overlooked.

“Every year, the authorities will hold prayers (tahlil) for P. Ramlee on his death anniversary,” she said.

“But no one holds any kind of prayers for my sister on her death anniversary. She had contributed a lot to the entertainment industry. 

“Till today, her songs are played in the radio. Saloma’s voice is very unique and cannot be imitated. Her voice is a gift from God.”      

Mariani is nevertheless grateful to see the set up of Saloma Theatre Restaurant in 2001 to honour her sister’s contribution to the nation. Mariani’s daughter Melissa Saila, who is also an actress cum director, is in the midst of making a docu-drama that depicts the life of Saloma. 

Titled ‘Hanya Saloma’, it will have eight episodes, half an hour each, which is likely to be aired in television next year.

“Most people only remember my aunt as the wife to P. Ramlee. But she was a star of her own right. Her life should be documented. She should not fade away,” said Melissa.  

She remembers her aunt as an introvert, reserved and shy, unlike her mother who is an extrovert and loud.

Initially, Melissa wanted to make a four-part TV series that focussed on Saloma and her mother as two sisters making a name in the entertainment industry.

“Sorry to say I could not find the budget to make this TV series,” she said.

SHARIFAH AINI

For Sharifah Aini, the road to success was not an easy one. Her childhood years in Johor Baru were filled with poverty. It was her grandparents who took care of her.

Her grandfather was only a taxi driver. To earn extra income for her household, she began working when she was seven years old.

“There were several jackfruit trees behind the house I lived in. When the trees bore fruits, I would sell them to the village folks. I was the youngest peddler in my village,” recalled Sharifah Aini.   

She would also grind chillies into fine paste and earned RM1.50 for every two kilograms of ground chillies produced.

“My fingers suffered from handling too much chillies,” said Sharifah Aini, who will be celebrating her 45 years in the music industry next year. Her other source of income came from stitching Baju Kurung Johor, where she made RM2.50 for every dress. 

At the age of seven, she braved herself to sing in front of the crowd at funfairs where her payment ranged between RM5 to RM10 and ten Satay sticks.   

“Seven of us would be packed in a car like sardines and travel long distances from Johor Baru to funfairs in places as far as Pahang, Kelantan, Perlis, Kedah and Perak,” she said.

One thing she is truly grateful about her childhood years was that her grandparents had filled her life with love and care.

She remembered one occasion where her grandfather saved every penny so he could buy her a pair of red Bata shoes that she had desired. She also recalled one Hari Raya where her grandmother took three of her best baju kurung and trimmed them to Sharifah Aini’s size. 

“They had given me so much love that I felt secured and I didn’t feel poor at all.”

Her big break came in 1967 when she entered a singing contest organized by Radio Television Singapore. 

She bagged the second place and at the same time caught the attention of a recording company that offered her a recording contract.

Her first album, ‘Seri Dewi Malam’ released in 1968, became an instant hit. She was hardly 17 when fame came knocking at her door. 

“I came to KL with only RM75 in my pocket and with the ambition to be someone successful,” she said.

One of Sharifah Aini’s idols that she really admires and wants to emulate is the popular TV host, Oprah Winfrey.

 “Over the years she has helped a lot of people from the less fortunate in undeveloped countries to people in her own backyard,” she said.

Sharifah Aini, who has a son, takes care of over 2, 500 orphans. Over the years she has performed in countless shows where the profits have been chanelled to various charity organizations, especially orphanages.

“One advice I would like to give young artists out there is to be charitable and give back to the society,” she said.

“The peace you will feel is simply indescribable.”

When asked about some of the misconceptions people have about her, she said: “People like to think I am a diva who is difficult to work with. I have two maids who have been working with me for the last 20 years. I have a driver who has been with me for the last 28 years. If I am so difficult to work with, do you think they will stick with me for so long?”  

Sharifah Aini, who had had two failed marriages, said that she is still open to finding the right companion.

“I want to grow old with a best friend,” she said.