Go savour the 'Sweet Smell of Success!'

I think I am watching way too much TV as evidenced by my frequent reviewing of old movies. At least the tinge of nostalgia is still there in the blog.
This 1957 movie was just a mediocre movie when it was released but over time, like wine, aged gracefully and is placed in the archives of American movies as national treasure.

Tony Curtis & Burt Lancaster

 A good half an hour into the movie, you would be lost as if you had just joined in an ongoing conversation and trying very hard to figure out what everyone is talking about. Then it will unfold piece by piece. It is a drama revealing the dirty insincere world of powerful newspaper owner, his sister with her love of her life and a publicity agent who doubles as one who does his dirty work. J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) is a ruthless newspaper man who literally squeezes everyone in town by their throat. Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis), the suave raccoon-eyed versatile hunk, is a down trodden, publicity agent who fell in bad times after failing to fulfill his obligation with Hunsecker of masterminding of nipping of his sister's love in the bud. Hunsecker thought that his sister's love interest was not up to mark. Outcast Sidney finds it difficult to make ends meet. After desperately seeking Hunsecker's meeting, he is given a second chance to rectify his earlier faux paus. Sidney plans a devious plan to tarnish Hunsecker's sister Susan's musician boyfriend image in a rival   newspaper column. Susan leaves her true love and attempts suicide. Sidney somehow lands there in the nick of time. Thinking that his sister is assaulted by Sidney, a scuffle ensues between Hunsecker and Sidney. The truth is rattled out. Susan leaves her brother for the love of her life.
Tony Curtis, even though is the supporting actor, is given a meatier role and is seen in most frames. This black and white movie set in the glitzy nightclub life of Club 21 New York with the background of 'loud' jazz music. There is no gunpowder violence but is compensated by its extensive use of incisive powerful dialogues.

"I would hate to take a bite out of you. You are a cookie full of arsenic!"

"Mr Hunsecker, you have got more twists than a barrel of pretzels!"

"If looks could kill, I would be dead."

Masihkah kau ingat?

We, the product of the post NEP era, grew literally soaked in an environment filled with the Malay Language and its culture. With limited exposure to the outside world via telecommunications, (the pre-Top of Pops and music video era), we were bombarded with cultural presentations meted out by the sole telecommunications controller of yesteryear Radio and Television Malaysia (RTM).
We were exposed to likes of singers of the 70s through 90s Sudirman, JJ, Flybaits , Ramli Sarip, Sweet Charity, Chris Vadham, Ben Nathan, Chris Vadham, Alleycats, Rafeah Buang, Wann (the singer with constipated voice), Search, etcetera . This does not include the exposure to P.Ramlee and his brand of music and humour.

We, the Malaysian post NEP generation have been exposed to lots of Malay literature and music throughout outgrowing age and we are quite well versed with the turn of events in the local scene. If not for the ever changing rules and vocabulary set the language governing authority (DBP), we would still be literary professors. A language is suppose to evolve over time but when then the structure and vocabulary changes at the lip of a coin many times within a lifetime, we call that being fickle.
Sometimes, I listen to the songs that I use to hear in my childhood on radio, specifically on Klasik FM (RIMA-Radio Irama Melayu Asli) at 93.9FM in the Klang Valley. It has since been disbanded recently and had been fused into the national Malay radio channel under the banner of Klasik Nasional.
The interesting shows there are 'Masihkah Kau Ingat?'- showcasing songs from 1970- 90 era and 'Hati Ke Hati' - request programme playing songs of the 1950-60 golden era of the Malay screen. In the new programme schedule, 'Hati ke Hati' has been slashed.
The point of discontent with these networks is that the programmers assume that all its listeners of one particular ethnic race and religion only. All the salutations and special programmes were aligned these lines and the others were assumed to uninterested and uninformed about this genre. There will be a lot of hype and razzmatazz about Ramadan, fasting, Hari Raya Puasa and Merdeka but not a single mention of Gregorian New Year, Chinese New Year, Thaipusam, Deepavali or Christmas. This way of thinking is common in all non-English speaking channels. I can vouch for the Tamil radio station as well. They assume that all Minnal FMs listeners are all Tamil speaking and of Hindu faith! Talk about stereotyping, not a mention of ushering in the Year of the Water Dragon or well wishes on Klasik Nasional FM! Anyway, Gong Xi Fa Cai!

This is the song that the quartet of us (FG, Ooi Tuck Yew, Ahmad Sabri, Rosli Amran) practised to sing for our school annual singing contest in 1982. The contest was cancelled due to lack of quorum of participants. We remember the nostalgic fond jamming sessions in the Sick Bay Room! 

Myths can also be dangerous

Farish A Noor
10:57AM Jan 19, 2012

Over the last two days I have been interviewed three times by three different media publications over the question of where I stand on the latest silly debate in Malaysia, namely the question of whether Hang Tuah existed or not, and whether it ought to be taught in schools.
This is, I have to confess, one of the smaller histories of Malaysia that has been in the footnotes of my mind for ages, and I recall how I was once asked by an elderly gentleman during a forum discussion in KL in 1998 if it was true that Hang Tuah was of Chinese origin.

Let me state what little I know of the matter, and make my stand relatively clearer:
Firstly, I don't know or care if Hang Tuah was Chinese, Malay, Japanese, Eskimo or Serbo-Croat. He could have been a mix of all of the above with a Martian wife and a Venusian mother-in-law for all I care;
Secondly, no, there is no record of the keris Taming Sari either, and every antique shop that claims to have one is lying to get your money; and,Thirdly, please note that in the Hikayat Hang Tuah we also have stories of kerises that fly, magical potions, demons and monsters, and a magical bean that when swallowed allows you to speak all languages. (A bit like the Babel fish in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy methinks.)

Looking for facts in fiction
Look, for the umpteenth time may I state that in my opinion theHikayat Hang Tuah is a work of fiction.
Looking for facts in fiction is like trying to find the exact location where the battle of the Mahabharatta was fought, or the exact spot where King Arthur removed the sword Excalibur from the stone. It's a story, for heavens sake!
Though I have not read the exact comments made by Professor Khoo Kay Kim that sparked off this debate, I was made to understand that all Prof Khoo said was that Hang Tuah did not exist in the form of an actual, living, historical human being.
On that count, he happens to be right as there are also no written records to show that Marco Polo ever went to China - and some historians have even claimed that his account of China was entirely fabricated, and put together from other accounts of other travellers who did make the journey to the land of the Celestials themselves.
Hang Tuah was, and remains, a myth: And myths are only that - grand narratives that make it into the national consciousness and become part of a nation's symbolic and discursive repertoire.Some works of fiction may indeed have historical details in them, and Tolstoy's War and Peace stands out as a prominent example. Nobody doubts if Napoleon existed, if Napoleon invaded Russia, if the battle of Borodino was fought in 1812.
But just because these places and dates are true does not mean that Pierre Besuhov or Prince Andrei Bolkonsky existed too.
Tolstoy simply weaved a monumental tale that was spun through a combination of fiction and facts, and the product was a classic of European literature.

Hang Tuah myth exploited
And this is where my gripe lies: That for decades too many extreme right-wing nationalist buffoons in Malaysia have sought to instrumentalise the myth of Hang Tuah as a vehicle for all sorts of nefarious and dubious ideological ends: as a testament to ethnic majoritarianism, as a primordial claim to land and belonging, as a means to proclaim ethnic dominance etc.
And yet - until today - an overwhelming number of semi-literate Malaysians pontificate at length about a text they have never read in full.People claim Hang Tuah as a member of their 'race', despite the fact that in the second part of the Hikayat Hang Tuah the character renounces all worldly belonging to kingdom and kind.
Right-wing nationalists claim him as an ethnic hero, despite the fact that by the end of the story Hang Tuah gives up his keris, abandons his kingdom, turns his back on power and becomes a wandering everyman mystic-emissary of peace.
He finds/found salvation through a denial of the world and its attendant riches and power, and becomes a nobler man because he denies racism, nationalism and forms of parochial sectarian power-politics.
That is why he is a hero, for heavens sake.
And despite all that - which can be found in the Hikayat if only people took the time to read it - Malaysians still ask if Hang Tuah was Malay or Chinese?
I agree with Prof Khoo that history has to begin by teaching students to differentiate between fact and fiction, data and myths.The Hikayat Hang Tuah falls in the latter category - but as a myth it is, and should be seen as, truly inspiring, uplifting and noble for the manner in which it valorises our common humanity above all else. Hang Tuah, in the end, does not care about race: So why should we?
In the final analysis, the Hikayat Hang Tuah ought to be taught in our schools - but only if it is taught in full, and equal emphasis is given to the development of the character who eventually becomes a universal figure, standing above narrow ethnic and political loyalties, and who sees the human race as his family and the world as his home.
What a great message that would be for a new generation of global and globalising Malaysians!
But for that to happen Malaysia still has to evolve a little further, and we need to render ourselves immune to the crass and vulgar attempts to turn our national heroes, myths and legends into parochial tales to frighten the masses and to compel blind loyalty from people who can't even read beyond page one.

A new insight into Boestaman

Syed Husin takes swipe at Prof Khoo

Terence Netto 8:49AM Jan 22, 2012

Senator Syed Husin Ali, who ought to know a bit of the history of the left-wing movement in Malaysia because of past involvement in it, said historian Khoo Kay Kim has been inaccurate with some of the facts of that history.

This is ironic as Professor Emeritus Khoo is often at pains
trying to dispel popular misconceptions about historical personages and events and generally laments the lack of seriousness with which the subject is treated in the academic and public spheres.
The former president of Parti Rakyat Malaysia who led it to merge with Parti Keadilan Nasional to become Parti Keadilan Rakyat in 2002, Syed Husin disputed several points of left-wing history that Prof Khoo had raised in an interview with Malaysiakini.
"It's not my intention to engage in polemics with him," said Syed Husin, 75, who in his youth in the 1950s was immersed in left-wing politics and befriended several of its leading lights.
"The points raised by Prof Khoo are not of small significance and so I feel compelled to set them right," added the former Universiti Malaya professor.

Boestaman not a Sukarno clone

Some details that Prof Khoo had shed on Ahmad Boestaman, a paladin of the left-wing movement from just before the Second World War to the early part of Malayan independence, were "way off the mark", according to Syed Husin.

"Firstly, Boestaman was not from Indonesia, as Prof Khoo contends, but was born in Behrang in Perak and though he was of Minangkabau stock, he was Malayan more than anything else," said Syed Husin.
"Boestaman admired Sukarno and modeled his oratorical style after the Indonesian independence leader but he was no clone of Sukarno," added Syed Husin.
According to autobiographical sketches left behind by Boestaman, who was a journalist like many Malay left-wingers in the 1940s and 1950s, he was born Abdullah Thani Raja Kechil in Behrang in 1920 and assumed the nom de guerre ‘Boestaman' out of admiration for Indian independence fighter Subhas Chandra Bose.

Boestaman was transfixed watching the charismatic Indian freedom fighter at a public rally in Ipoh in 1943 when Bose, who sought Japanese help to fight the British, was on a tour of Malaya to whip local support for ‘Hind Swaraj' (Indian independence).

The meaning of marhaenism
Syed Husin said another point that Prof Khoo got wrong was the name of the political party that Boestaman initiated in the aftermath of the war to agitate for independence.
He said the party was Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), which was formed on Oct 17, 1945, and not Partai Kebangsaan Melayu Merdeka, as Prof Khoo suggested.
Syed Husin said even if the first word was ‘partai' rather than ‘parti', the difference is not indicative of anything significant about the leanings of those employing it because the root word comes from the English ‘party'.
"Employing the word ‘partai' would not significantly indicate your leanings are Indonesian any more than using ‘parti' would suggest that you are English favouring," argued the senator.
Yet another aspect of the left-wing movement that Syed Husin's said Prof Khoo got wrong was Boestaman's use of the term ‘marhaen' which was popularised by Sukarno.
"Sukarno started using the term after he met a Javanese landless peasant called Marhaen who impressed him with his innate dignity and national consciousness," explained Syed Husin.
"After that encounter, Sukarno would say that the political movement he leads would have to be good for the likes of people like Marhaen.
"Mahaenism then became a term for the landless peasantry and their claim to a place under the Indonesian sun," he said.

'Khoo badly misses the point'
Syed Husin said that Prof Khoo's equation of the marhaen with the proletariat of European communist ideology is a step too far because the former desires the dignity of labour and justice whereas the latter is viewed as the base for a vanguard that would bring a revolution.
"Boestaman was not a communist; he was a socialist and a fighter against all forms of colonialism," claimed Syed Husin.
He said Prof Khoo badly misses the point of the struggle of Boestaman and Malay left-wingers of his ilk when he claims that they were fighting to gain independence from the British in order to merge with Indonesia.
"They did subscribe to the concept of ‘Melayu Raya' which saw the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia as one people and one nation, but that was only in the context of wanting the liberation of similar peoples from the colonial yoke.
"It was like Egypt and Syria uniting at one time as one nation of Arabic people to fight international imperialism," said Syed Husin, as perspective.
"Boestaman and his types in the left-wing movement were nationalists first and socialists second, but not communist," asserted Syed Husin.

Mother goose stories, Hang Tuah and the first super hero, Hanu-Man!

Once upon a time, there were 5 friends who descended from the heavenly kingdoms where people were cultured and wise. They were brave, feared no man and had mystical powers with a mythical dagger and was loyal to the country. They maintained law and order in their newly embraced state and were exemplary in their conduct. The leader of the the 5 had the tenacity to scale the unscably elusive Mount Ophir (Gunung Ledang) which is said to house the ever youthful princess who had found the fountain of youth. And he was indeed summoned by reigning Sultan to represent Him for to propose His hand for marriage. For the longest time, generations have come and gone listening to the escapades and brave deeds of the famous and noble five!
One peninsular away (against the rotation of the Earth), in India, was told of a prince born out of divine intervention, who was literally bigger than life. Every single act done was praised till high heavens, what he did and did not was immortalized as how life should be lived. His wife was personified as true meaning of virtuous ever abiding consort of man. His friendship (bond) with step brother became synonymous with true friendship. And the King of Monkeys who leapt over countries in a single bound faster than a speeding lightning (Hanu-Man, the first super hero) left his foot prints all over the world, including in Batu Maung, Penang- as the the locals believe, [although the same stony structure is said to be of Admiral Cheng Ho, the Chinese Muslim eunuch who sailed the seven seas in his time], is a true self immolating servant. Hanu-Man was in search of the magical plant Sanjeevani (Selaginella bryopteris) all over the world to cure Laxman of battle wounds in the Ramayana biopics.

Sanjeevani

That is the problem with undocumented events of the past. 'He says, She says' type of facts cannot be accepted as historical facts. Bedtime stories coined to pacify crying toddlers, retold for the longest time has made it to the Malaysian Historical textbooks. On the other hand, in India, the mythical narration has transformed into a religious text seeping deep into its culture and riots have broken out to resurrect a temple in place of a mosque to relive the glorious past! So much for symbolism and the good message - all lost in translation.
*Sanjeevani,the miraculous herb that is believed to revive the dead! In the Ramayana when Ravana’s son Indrajit severely injures and nearly slaughters Laxman, Hanu-Man was summoned to fetch the Sanjeevani from the Himalayas. Hanu-Man, unable to recognize the herb, lifted the whole mountain, bringing it to the battle-field!

Talking pictures (National Geographic)

Joel Sartore

Rift in Paradise 

Albertine Rift, Uganda

A tree-climbing lion stirs in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park.
"This photograph is so beautifully executed. The color is magnificent, with the cobalt blue sky in the background and the warm light on the lion. The composition is perfect. Yet underneath all that beauty is a message: Lions are in trouble. Joel Sartore has devoted himself to photographing animals out of balance, endangered, crying for a voice."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Carsten Peter 

Conquering an Infinite Cave 

Minh Hoa, Vietnam 

A giant cave column swagged in flowstone towers over explorers swimming through the depths of Hang Ken, one of 20 new caves discovered last year in Vietnam.
"Carsten Peter thrives on adventure. The more difficult the place, the more he wants to go. What's special about this photograph is its otherworldliness. It truly looks like another planet, because no one's ever seen it before. And the way the light is balanced between the divers and the stalagmites and stalactites in this huge space—absolutely flawless."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Stephanie Sinclair 

Too Young to Wed 

Herat, Afghanistan 

A veil of gauze protects a patient named Zahara from flies in a burn ward in Herat, Afghanistan. Afghan women who set themselves on fire may do so to escape abuse at home, believing they will die instantly. Yet many linger on with terrible injuries.
"This dreamlike photo belies tragedy. Under the soft gauze is the hard reality of a burn ward in Afghanistan; child brides sometimes set themselves on fire to escape arranged marriages. Stephanie Sinclair's poignant photograph speaks to her commitment to give a voice to those young women."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Lynsey Addario 

Baghdad After the Storm 

Iraq 

Moviegoers at Baghdad's first 4-D cinema get an extra thrill from shaking seats and wind machines during a 3-D sci-fi film. During the worst years of violence, families stayed home to watch TV or DVDs. Most cinemas closed, as did this one, though it has plans to expand and reopen.
"Not only did Lynsey Addario gain access to an undiscovered part of Baghdad; she did it with such flair. The blue light, the projector in the background, the people's expressions, those crazy-looking 3-D glasses. But you can also see this is a temporary structure, tentlike, and you think, with all they've been through, now they can enjoy life, have some fun."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Vincent J. Musi 

Taming the Wild 

Novosibirsk, Russia 

This brown rat's angry display at the photographer reflects 73 generations of breeding for hostility to humans. Scientists at Novosibirsk and in Germany are comparing the aggressive rat genome to that of rats selected for friendliness, attempting to untangle connections between DNA and behavior. 
"It looks like a prison cell with a bunch of mad prisoners, ready to lash out at each other, which is basically what these rats are doing. And the whole frame, the way it moves from not just the aggressive rat but to how the other rats are reacting to him, is a moment that is absolutely unforgettable."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Michael Nichols 

Orphans No More 

Nairobi Elephant Nursery, Kenya 

Dedicated keepers at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's Nairobi Elephant Nursery in Kenya protect baby Shukuru from the cold and rain, and the risk of pneumonia, with a custom-made raincoat. 
"This picture means so much to me because it eloquently addresses the powerful connection between the men who have devoted their lives to caring for these elephants and the vulnerable animals that share the strong bond with those men. The orange blanket; the green uniforms of the men; their hands silhouetted, holding the umbrellas. Those delicate raindrops on the elephant's head. Everything in this photograph works together and has a powerful, emotional message."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Paul Nicklen 

Spirit Bear 

Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia 

In a moss-draped rain forest in British Columbia, towering red cedars live a thousand years, and black bears are born with white fur. "Paul Nicklen is a master at getting closer. He gets close enough to take this beautiful forest with this beautiful bear, eating a salmon, and make it all come together in a photograph that captures your imagination. I feel like I'm there. I can almost smell that forest, the bear. This is Paul's home. This looks like a photo he took in his backyard of a dear friend."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Erika Larsen 

Sami 

Gällivare, Sweden 

Sven Skaltje was saddened to find the carcasses of two female reindeer whose antlers had become entangled during a dominance struggle in northern Sweden. He estimates it took three days for them to die of starvation. After separating the bodies, he saw from the ear markings that one belonged to him and the other to his cousin. Skaltje is much admired by the younger Sami in his herding group, but he is unsure whether the skills he teaches them will endure. 
"There's a timeless quality to this photograph. The deep connection between Sami herders and the reindeer is hundreds of years old. You can see the expression on the man's face as he pauses in reverence for these magnificent animals. The snow, the dusting across his shoulders: It all works together in a quiet, reflective way that is true to the Sami people."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Pascal Maitre 

Rift in Paradise 

North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo 

Rule of the gun prevails in North Kivu, a conflict-ravaged province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Mai-Mai Kifuafua, one of many local militias, flaunts its power on a road where it extorts money from villagers and travelers. For almost 20 years near-constant fighting over land, mining riches, and power has terrorized the people. 
"Pascal Maitre has an absolutely remarkable ability to go into the most dangerous, volatile situations and return with powerful images. In places where a civilization is literally coming unraveled, he sees human behavior that needs to be documented, because the suffering is unbelievable. This photograph in Central Africa conveys a sense of energy and immediacy—and it's also frightening."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Kitra Cahana 

Beautiful Teenage Brains 

Austin, Texas 

No elbows, no knees. Their "fight club" had rules. At least one Friday a month, boys gathered after school in the backyard of Bryan Campbell (at far left) to wrestle and box. Campbell's mother made sure they kept it safe; a bloody nose was the worst injury. The boys often used phones to film their contests, posting the videos to a private Facebook group so more friends could admire their prowess. The rush of a headlock, a bond between friends—their fights delivered both excitement and social rewards. 
"To make a memorable picture of teenagers, the picture has to speak across generations and be one of those photographs that when you see it, you go, Aha! Here are two boys wrestling down at the bottom of the frame, beautifully composed. And these two other guys, using their devices to record the two guys down there wrestling. Here they are, absorbed, as they're participating in complete and absolute horseplay."
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief

Alfred Hitchcock Presents S5E0: Death of poetic justice?

One of my favourite TV series that never fail to impress me each time I watch is the 1955 to 1962 production of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'(AHP). Over the past few years, Universal Studios have had the joy of sadistically slow release of these old TV shows' DVDs at a snail's pace much to the disappointment of die hard mature Hitchcock fans. There was a lot of excitement recently in November when news broke out that the 5th season DVDs were due to be released on 3rd January 2012! For those who have been living in outer space and are in the dark about AHP, these are 25-minute shows (before the current familiar 45-minute format was norm) that dwell on morbid subjects like death and murder (usually of spouse) presented by Alfred Hitchcock himself. In a sense, Hitchcock was just a compere who introduces the show in a witty way and finds joy taking jabs at the advertisers, at the beginning of the show, at beginning of the take-over of the world by advertisers and commercialism! If fact, Hitchcock with his peculiarly wicked British wry sense of humour and word play, is itself an attraction of the series.
In most of these shows, the perpetrator usually comes out smelling of roses after having apparently committed a perfect crime. In keeping with poetic justice and not too outwardly implying that crime actually pays, Hitchcock will announce before the closing credits how justice eventually prevailed!
Talking about poetic justice...
I pre-ordered the copy on Amazon. It was released in US on 3.1.12 and I received it on 6.1.12 all crisp and new, undamaged. Why? Because I have ordered on express mail (FedEx), that's why! So, why am I complaining?
Normally I ordered my DVDs with regular postage via US postal service and it takes a good 2 to 3 weeks to arrive after being stranded in Malaysian airports like forever to be cleared by Customs. With a little bit of mullah, everything is speeded up. That is life is it not? With a little bit of greasing, everything can go through the fast express lane whilst enforcement just looks the other way, whether you are in USA, Bangkok, KL or Timbuktu! Those who are financially challenged or believes in equality and justice will just have get in line and wait for their turn. Life is never fair. Justice in life sometime seems not fair but we can always pacify the losers that there is always a bigger eternal court which would be just and sometimes the sentences meted out can be for a very long time, like forever! And the promise of virgins for martyrdom?@*!

POETIC JUSTICEIn literature, an outcome in which vice is punished and virtue rewarded, usually in a manner peculiarly or ironically appropriate.The term was coined by the English literary critic Thomas Rymer in the 17th century, when it was believed that a work of literature should uphold moral principles and instruct the reader incorrect moral behaviour. (The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer)