Malaysia - On Thursday, 1957 Hati Malaya, the first film to chronicle the key events leading to Merdeka, will open in cinemas. Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, whose Ministry was a major funder, shares his thoughts on various aspects of the movie.
HOW did the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry get involved in the movie project?
The Ministry had thought of producing a film or documentary on Merdeka nearly two years ago. We gave the challenge to the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas), but they were undergoing reorganisation, so they got Shuhaimi Baba (director, writer and producer) to work on it.
Shuhaimi has produced momentous movies and is most suitable for the task. She has done a lot of research and made the film despite some “non-cooperative” actions on the part of certain quarters. We supported the project, as it is Malaysia‘s 50th anniversary. We gave a grant of RM1.5mil plus facilities at Finas, which are basic.
Why was there so little support from the local corporate sector? (Shuhaimi and co-producer Nancy Yeoh, as reported in Variety on Oct 7, had encountered great difficulties in getting funding which forced them to scale down or omit many vital elements or scenes from the movie.)
I think it was a question of technicality. The corporate sector will always ask, what‘s in it for me? Perhaps we could have given private corporations tax deductions if they had contributed to funds for the film. That could‘ve helped.
Does the lack of interest reflect Malaysians‘ general apathy towards the arts?
Yes, I believe there is apathy surrounding the project. The Malaysian corporate sector has not come forward in a big way like Singaporeans in supporting the arts.
If the corporate sector wants to contribute towards culture, arts and heritage, we can offer tax exemptions. There are many ways companies can support plays, theatre, music or even sponsor movies pertaining to multiculturalism. Come and talk to us! The Cabinet has approved support for such endeavours since 2005.
I don‘t like to say Malaysians are not very cultural but the attraction of culture and arts has never been compelling enough.
It‘s not that we lack cultural achievements. It has a lot to do with education. At all levels of our education, culture and art has not been a premium. For example, there is little encouragement for students to pursue music. Some still insist that music is not good for religion or for the ummah. How, then, can we expect to raise the level of appreciation for music or other forms of art and culture? I have a tough time defending wayang kulit! Unesco praises it but some quarters call for the art to be banned.
We face an uphill task. But we are continuing our efforts. It‘s not just about different communities participating in each other‘s culture. We will look at arts and culture as a whole that we should all support, starting from school level.
Isn‘t the government budget small for such a significant film?
I don‘t think so. Some RM2.5mil to RM3mil is enough in Malaysia; it‘s what we call a Malaysian budget.
Movies like Puteri Gunung Ledang, (the most expensive Malaysian movie made, at some RM15mil), are different. They have their backers. But we are spending taxpayers‘ money. It‘s different. We had to turn down a movie collaboration project from Hong Kong about Admiral Zheng He because we didn‘t have the money. They required US$2mil to US$5mil (RM6.7mil to RM16.8mil).
Why do you encourage Malaysians to see “Hati Malaya”?
I am convinced 1957 Hati Malaya is one film that every Malaysian should see. It is a factual depiction of Merdeka with elements of multiculturalism. Every community is represented. In between, you have touches of romance. The film is very humane.
Did the Ministry get involved in the movie development or storyline?
We didn‘t disturb the storyline and we didn‘t limit Shuhaimi‘s creativity in the film or say yes or no to the scenes. We only wanted the usage of the national language to be redone. I am very sensitive towards the proper usage of language so I asked the production team, Could you please hone the Bahasa Rojak? Malaysians now may speak in an incorrigible manner but at that time (1957) we didn‘t speak like that!
Do you think there was too much focus on Datuk Onn Ja‘afar?
It‘s a historical fact that Datuk Onn, while being the founder of Umno and having fought for Malaysian nationalism, ended up a disappointed man. He also didn‘t take that final step towards Merdeka. He was a man beyond his time. He was an iconic leader. I believe the film documented his story well.
How relevant is such a movie to today‘s audience?
It is relevant for Malaysians who put on their thinking caps, but not for those who sneer at such efforts. This movie has a message. We are here today because of the past. Whether we accept it or not is due to subjective reasoning. This movie tells us where we came from, how we derived our multicultural powers, and our role in politics.
The movie may not be a blockbuster, but it is a reminder of who we are. Politically speaking, politics is not dirty, but some politicians are. We shouldn‘t say the film is illusionary.
We may have failed in certain aspects such as law enforcement and areas pertaining to the rule of law. But in many ways we have arrived!
Yes, there are things we can learn and improve. For example, why can‘t we have more multicultural activities? I believe our future lies in multiculturalism.
Through the movie we learn mistakes we shouldn‘t repeat, for instance, harping on racialism all the time. Nationalism and racialism are cousins. We must be very careful in how we compartmentalise political thinking and political interpretation. When Onn said it was time Umno included the non-Malays, that is the message we should think about today or our grandchildren will still be grappling with the issue. The seed of multiculturalism in the movie is precious to me.
How do you personally feel about the film?
I like the photography as I am an avid photographer! Overall, this is a good educational and documentary-styled film although it may not be exciting like a Bollywood or Hollywood production. It is not a “patriotism kind” of movie even though the story of Merdeka must be told over and over again to our future generations. Everybody had a role; some more, some less.
We should see the movie with an open mind. By all means, criticise! Criticism is not an enemy to creativity. What does kill creativity is not giving it a chance.
Do you find that protests from small groups of people tend to dictate whether a Malaysian film should be released or not, for example, Amir Muhamad‘s “Lelaki Komunis Terakhir” (The Last Communist), which was banned in 2006?
For people to protest against a film they have not even seen is certainly unfair. But in the case of Lelaki Komunis Terakhir, the good work and sacrifices by the police were not even mentioned. On the other hand, it eulogised communism and those who served in the party. A line from Sir Gerald Templar (former Malayan High Commissioner) or former police representatives would have helped. But as I saw the film, there was none of it. It only focused on the other side. Many have fought and thousands died as a result of the communist guerrillas. Memories are still fresh.
If there is any outcry on a movie, we‘ll have to see what it is about. Differences of opinions will not lead to the Government banning films.
Source: thestar.com.my (22 Oktober 2007)
