The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 01 Mar 2013 05:19 PM PST
MARCH 2 — If we use the quality of our roads as a yardstick, we can expect the collapse of more buildings and bridges. One would think that we have learned our lessons from collapsed stadiums in the past but no, we are only getting better at blaming others. If only our leaders are brave enough to commit "sepukku" when something goes wrong, we needn't wait until 2020 to be fully developed. This time the badly constructed bridge in Cyberjaya collapsed due to "peaty land" around it and structural issues. If that is true, how they got the approval to build in such a peaty area which resulted in the bridge sinking is beyond me. But one thing is clear though, if the authorities cannot even be counted upon to maintain the safety of our buildings and roads, can we count on them on other matters i.e. the security, education and economic well-being of Malaysians? I shudder pondering the answer. Yes, the collapsed bridge was already closed for repairs. Yes, no one was hurt. But expecting us to believe that this is an isolated case is something else altogether. Remember the cracks along MRR2 not too long ago? What about the stadium roof in Terengganu that collapsed more than once? Peaty land again? Or perhaps this time due to overweight Malaysians? If you are suffering from selective dementia, may I then suggest you to take a drive down our scenic roads nationwide and let Malaysians know when and if you will close them down for repairs, or if there is peat around the area causing the numerous potholes that have become a gold standard on non-tolled Malaysian roads. Using taxpayers' money to pay out BR1M is one thing, but using it to pay the salaries of incompetent fools is enough to induce nationwide manic episodes to the detriment of those in Putrajaya. Malaysians deserve better. Consider yourselves warned. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. | |
| Posted: 01 Mar 2013 05:05 PM PST MARCH 2 — I think it's fair to say that quite a lot of Malaysians think that local films are a joke, which is a fair assessment, judging from the appalling quality of most of the local films opening in cinemas here. So if the films are a joke, then it's quite logical that the Festival Filem Malaysia ("FFM"), which is our version of the Oscars (I hate it when I have to do that to explain what FFM is), is a joke too. Again, I think that it's also quite a fair assessment because if we only have low quality, then we can only give awards to low quality. Like they always say, beggars can't be choosers, right? This year seems a bit different though. FFM is celebrating its Silver Jubilee (that's 25 years!), and for the first time in quite a long while I found myself getting excited with the list of nominees. Three films lead the way, with "Songlap" getting 15 nominations (a new record for FFM), followed by critics' darling "Bunohan" with 13 nominations and "29 Februari" with 12 nominations. So let's talk about the major categories and do some predictions, shall we? Best Film — "Songlap" Some people will question why "Ombak Rindu" is nominated here, but not me since I've always thought that it's a solid and (mostly) well-made melodrama in the Hindi film tradition. Young Syafiq Yusof's debut film "SAM" is not perfect, but is still miles ahead of most local films in terms of ambition and visual imagination, so its nomination is also deserved. In any other year the lovely "29 Februari" would be a favourite, but pity it had to compete with two very noteworthy films this year. "Bunohan" is surely the overwhelming favourite here since it was also Malaysia's official submission to the recent Academy Awards, but the raw and more accessible "Songlap" might just sneak a march and win it. It's my personal pick, and I have a feeling that whoever's voting will feel the same too. Best Director — Dain Said ("Bunohan") Take out "29 Februari" from the list and replace it with Saw Teong Hin for his lively and subtly subversive musical "Hoore! Hoore!", and most of what I said above will still hold true. But anyone in their right mind and with eyes will see that Dain Said directed the hell out of "Bunohan", and there can only be one choice for a winner here. It's not every day that a director manages to successfully visualise his characters' internal turmoil, but Dain definitely made that trick his own in "Bunohan" so it will be a crime if he loses. Best Actor — Pekin Ibrahim ("Bunohan") "Bunohan" scores big with three nominations in this category for its stars Faizal Hussein, Pekin Ibrahim and Zahiril Adzim, who played the three brothers in the film. Shaheizy Sam provides another shock when he received two nominations for his performances in "Songlap" and "SAM", but the two nominations will surely split his vote so it's very unlikely that he'll take home the trophy. The sentimental choice would be Faizal Hussein, but Pekin Ibrahim's un-showy and quietly menacing performance is just too good to ignore. Best Actress — Sara Ali ("Songlap") vs Maya Karin ("Ombak Rindu") In any other year I'd say Maya Karin will win it hands down, but this is the very rare year where FFM seems to be actually committed to awarding artistic excellence (as opposed to its usual mainstream-centric ways). Just a cursory look at the list of nominations this year will present this "them" or "feel" to you. Maya Karin's is a solid enough performance in a crowd-pleasing film, but when it comes to artistic excellence there's no better lead female performance in a local film this year than Sara Ali's expressive and mostly silent performance. If the FFM voters have balls, Sara Ali would win it hands down. If not, then the conservative choice is without a doubt Maya Karin. Best Supporting Actor — Omar Abdullah ("Songlap") Again, "Bunohan" will do battle with "Songlap" with two nominations each in this category and it'll likely be a straight battle between the hugely memorable baddie played by Husyairi Hussain and Omar Abdullah's tortured and incestuous father. Of the two, Omar Abdullah has the more layered and shaded character, and since he's also a respected veteran I think he's going to pick up the trophy here. Best Supporting Actress — Normah Damanhuri ("Songlap") Anyone who's seen "Songlap" will very likely talk about Normah Damanhuri's performance as a prostitute, which I honestly think is a little bit too "acted." I'd much prefer Lana Nordin's interpretation of a prostitute in Chow Kit, for which she deservedly received a nomination. But again, Normah Damanhuri is a respected veteran in the scene and she is therefore the sentimental favourite to win it. And I think she will. Best Screenplay — "Songlap" Script-wise, "Songlap's" direct and literal approach will already look strong in writing as opposed to "Bunohan's" symbolic and allegorical approach, which needs the support of images and won't look as strong just by the strength of words alone. I've no idea how "Untuk Tiga Hari" got a nomination, and both "29 Februari" and "Seefood" look unlikely to cause an upset, so it's a straight battle between "Songlap" and "Bunohan". My pick would be "Songlap", but I won't be surprised if "Bunohan" wins either. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
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