'Unwelcome Words'

That is the title for the essay I am writing for New Malaysian Essays 1. The subtitle (!) is 100 Word Meanings that Cannot be Found in the 2007 Edition of Kamus Dewan. You will be surprised that even 'rempit', in the manner now used by us, is not in that dictionary.

Most of the words will be found here. Needless to say I will need to cross-check with Kamus Dewan to make sure the words are NOT there. I will be happy to email the essay to you if you wish to peruse it – especially if you happen to know some slang terms I do not. Just contact me :-)

The title 'Unwelcome Words' is a homage to an epistolary story by one of my favourite writers, Paul Bowles. Reading it as a teen, I was so excited that it mentioned Kuala Lumpur! So now Kuala Lumpur is writing back, as it were.

Back in print: Shamsiah Fakeh

For decades the name Shamsiah Fakeh has been synonymous with rebellion: How could a beautiful Malay girl join the communists and become such a high-ranking member?

Her years in jungle warfare and exile to China have been the subject of much speculation, including unfounded rumours that she killed her child to avoid getting slowed down.

She is back in Malaysia but unwell (in her 80s what). Her memoirs were first published in 2004 but the publisher UKM bowed down to threats by the Establishment and withdrew it from circulation. It has now been brought back into print and can be ordered. I can't wait to get my grubby hands on it.

This story of perempuan komunis terakhir (heh) is a pithy, personal one that defies the orthodoxies of both Right and Left (she ended up leaving the communists anyway); she took risks when others around her opted to go with the herd. Wajib baca!

TYOLV teaser

Am currently laid up in bed with a slipped disc (!) and don't feel like saying much about it now.

But ... I just wanted to share the Internet premiere of the teaser for my documentary The Year of Living Vicarously (2005).

This is the most fun shoot I have ever been on, and it involves two firsts – my first exposure to Indonesia; and my first time working with Azharr Rudin (here as editor) – that would continue to have such a positive effect on my life from then on. The DVD for this as well as 6horts and The Big Durian are still available in very limited quantities at Silverfish and Kinibooks.

Guess which Malaysian politician just said that I am "being used by the English media to attack the Malays."

The answer is here.

'Punggok Rindukan Bulan' gets Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund

Azharr's movie received a RM10,000 grant from the second Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund, set up to honour the pioneering spirit of the late theatre director. It is one of four shortlisted projects out of 27 entries. More here.

Erm, the cast and crew list, as well as production photos, will be posted at Da Huang in the next two days, promise!

Now in libraries

This probably isn't the coolest thing to get excited about, but so what? I should be one to talk.* The book can be found in the PJ Community Library!!! How efficient of 'em to keep an online database. So if you are too sengkek or pokai to buy it, get thee to a library!

*I was a librarian in secondary school. It was compulsory to join at least one uniformed association. All the cool (or hot) boys were in the Band or the Cadets. I got chucked out of both the Red Crescent [for failing a multiple-choice Biology exam] and Scouts [for failing to learn more than one way to tie a knot] before finding my true home!

Selling 'Flower in the Pocket'

Flower in the Pocket is a delightful movie by the young Liew Seng Tat. It recently won the top award at the Pusan International Film Festival – but don't let that put you off! It also won the Audience Award, perhaps the first time a Malaysian film has ever done so.

A short promo:



It is produced by Da Huang Pictures, the company run by Tan Chui Mui, James Lee, Seng Tat and myself. (Yes, I actually go to an office. Sometimes). When Mui asked me to join the company I was sceptical at first; I didn't realise then what a very serious person she is!

People who have seen Seng Tat's short films will know he has a warm but off-kilter and, well, deranged sense of humour. His first feature utilises all his strengths to great effect.

The movie is releasing in limited cinemas from 20 December, but, inspired by the example of Tsai Ming-Liang (on whose KL-set film Seng Tat worked as crew), we are pre-selling tickets from now. Independent digital movies hardly ever gross much when released, partly due to people's perception that these movies are difficult, wanky and/or boring. We wanna change people's minds with Flower in the Pocket. After all, a difficult, wanky and/or slow movie can hardly win an Audience Award, can it?

(Unless, of course, the other films in the festival were even more difficult, wanky and/or boring, but we shall leave that thought aside for the mo).

So! We will be flogging pre-sale tickets at The Annexe Kuala Lumpur this Saturday and Sunday. And some of us will be in costume. You have been warned. Our booth is part of this event: