Tag: English

by Ahmad Fuad Rahmat

I am not a fan of Zakir Naik. His approach to Islam is intolerant and shallow. His popularity is all the more unearned when we look at the sheer dryness of his rhetoric. Where Malay preachers must at least be humorous or charismatic for mass appeal, Zakir Naik is just simplistic.

This one-dimensionality also explains his widespread appeal. He thrives in providing instant explanations for complicated issues. He simplifies questions of comparative religion into bite-sized and rhetorically arresting responses.

It is a familiar fanaticism: It offers easy and fixed answers for the false comfort of dogma. But it is one that is particularly attuned to the contemporary need for quick truths. He is in this sense evangelical. The richness of tradition is pushed aside for the letter of the law. If there is ever any doubt that modernity and Islam can go together, one has to only look at the Zakir Naik cult of efficiency.

Otherwise there is little of his fanaticism that is interesting. He hasn’t said anything that was not said by Ahmad Deedat, whose books are also widely sold. It is an open secret too that “moderates” like Hamza Yusuf, who English-speaking urban professional-class Muslims welcome with open arms, don’t have the most progressive responses to homosexuality.

The deplorable stances Zakir Naik takes in other words should not shock us when we consider what usually comes with religion in general. There will always be tendencies towards inflexibility.  One need not point to the Zakir Naik fanfare to see this. A quick look at popular titles at the Islamic section of any major book fair is worrying enough.

Zakir Naik is deeply woven into the general fabric of the religious industry. What this means is that there is no way one can call for him to be banned without also triggering the huge market which he is providing his services for. This explains why other influential Malays such as MAZA, Ustaz Azhar Idrus and Syed Saddiq have come to his defense and endorsement.

Liberal dead-ends

And yet many liberals deemed it worthwhile to stir the hornet’s nest in precisely these terms, making it about his popularity rather than his teachings.

This takes the issue to far murkier territory. Censorship is much easier to justify when the intended harm is explicit. The claim that someone or something should be banned because of how he might, could or would influence others is harder to uphold in this digital era where offensive opinions are the norm. Social media also allows us some foresight into how such a position would likely degenerate into debates between differing notions of what should be considered “harmful.”

In a lot of ways this is the ideal of democracy personified. The problem is that we have yet to come to terms with the shrills that comes with the “marketplace of ideas.”

Prohibiting or making police reports against offensive speech on the basis of its possible risks in any case is a conservative purview. Once upon a time liberals used to rail against this logic to argue that art, rap, punk, heavy metal and sexuality should not be censored because a democracy should celebrate free expression even when it is offensive because every individual is inherently endowed with the capacity to decide what is best for themselves.

“But this should not apply to Malays because they are not individuals but an impressionable horde desperate to be led than to think for themselves.” That at least is the subtext in the liberal panic against the spell that Zakir Naik has supposedly cast upon this country.

When a friend earnestly asked why Zakir Naik could be so popular in Kelantan when Malays don’t understand English I spared him my frustration because I knew he was just rehashing the pervasive anti-Malay sentiment that is implied in a lot of the “concerns” about Zakir Naik’s fanaticism.

This friend would have nothing against Malays enjoying Hindi Films or K-Pop of course because this feeds into his ideal of globalized consumerism where open borders should only lead to good feelings. Why exempt Zakir Naik if willing buyer-willing seller is the name of the game? What the liberal cannot fathom is that Zakir Naik is not the dark side of the free market but its very personification. His organic popularity speaks to the pure power of consumer choice against a moralizing state. He is drawing knots around the liberal logic.

Beyond liberalism

The liberal approach is often caught in the double bind between the freedom they vocally claim to uphold on one hand, and the censorship they call for against religious fundamentalists. The good liberal counter to this accusation is to say that free expression should be guarded from those who are against it. Why should fanatics enter the public sphere of rational communication when their beliefs stand against the very principles that structure the conditions of free communication in the first place?

The problem is in the premise. Rationality is a process, not an entity. Similarly democracy is not a place to feel good but a battleground where the possibility of everyone’s freedom could be accommodated. This is a matter of principles of course but also the practice of compromise that has to be built over time.

Expanding freedom of religion and freedom of expression entails confronting difference in the fullest extent of the word. This is not because “diversity is beautiful” but because difference is what we need to work through to construct a robust community.

But our age of identity politics – where liberalism too has been outed as a hardened ideology – has made difference a burden rather than an opportunity. Inclusivity has become harder to imagine and practice. There are no short cuts here for as long as we believe that diversity is worth defending for everyone.

For as long as Zakir Naik remains a popular local attraction, strategic engagement should be prioritized before calling for censorship. Short of confrontation, or appealing to the iron hand of the state, the next best option is the difficult and awkward work of dialogue.

16^th March 2019 marked the day of Projek Dialog’s second instalment of Pesta Filem Kita 2. Boasting a reputation of showcasing films which illustrate the Malaysian experience and lifestyle, it aims to bring people together through films as an important cultural medium.

This event was proudly supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Embassy in Malaysia, and Malaysians 4 Malaysia. After close consideration of multiple factors, this 10-hour long event is decidedly held in RUANG by Think City, which is right in the heart of KL, surrounded by an area best known for KL’s rich, traditional and modern culture. Apart of its accessibility granted for our guests, a closed-off event space is able to provide a privatized atmosphere, definitely suitable for enjoying movies!

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The preparations for this event were undergone for about three months. Spearheaded by the curators: Victoria Cheng, Muzzamer Rahman, and Fuad Rahmat, they are able to ensure the success and smooth-running of the festival.

During its promotional stage, it garnered a lot of attention and positive responses from the public, especially on social media platforms such as: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are able to showcase incredible statistics. This time period is crucial for the success of the event, as it is important to spread the word!

The event space is effectively utilized by splitting it into sections: a large screen with a raised platform for screenings and speeches served as the room’s centrepiece, bamboo mats and beanbag chairs strewed across it for a fun and casual movie-going experience, while higher chairs lined tidily beyond them up until the back of the room.

Beside the stage featured a large poster board of the events’ logo: a plate of nasi lemak – which is Malaysia’s most famous delicacy – shared among people of different races – which is exemplified by the skin tones and cultural characteristics of their hands, serving as a designated space for taking pictures.

Posters and buntings about the event’s information lined the walls, accompanied by large cardboard cubes with the filmmakers’ profile stacked together, and the filmmakers definitely enjoyed them, as most of the filmmakers took the cubes of themselves home! Furthermore, a plasma television was set up to showcase films from the last ‘Pesta Filem Kita’, which was held in 2016.

Book vendors ran their businesses with their stalls set up next to the buntings, while the registration and free goodies table was placed by the entrance to make a guest count and hand out free t-shirts and laptop stickers.

Pesta Filem Kita 2 kicked off with ‘Malaysians 4 Malaysia Short Video Contest’ open to Malaysian students with a top cash prize of RM 2,000. The theme of the contest was ‘The Hopes for the Youth for a New Malaysia’, which is importantly relevant to the current state of our country with its recent government change and youths being next in line to shape its future. The contest had gathered more than 30 applicants, and it was narrowed down to 9 finalists after meticulous consideration. The finalists are as followed:

• Butang Hukum (by: Ahmad Syazwan Bin Rosli)
• Garisan Penamat (by: Izaq Yuzaini Bin Ismail)
• Memoir (by: Adam Taufiq Suharto)
• Above All Liberties (by: Tengku ‘Alauddin Mahmud)
• Wanderlust (by: Syarul Akmal)
• Our Hope and Dream For A New Malaysia (by: Bea Jia Hui)
• Cengkerik Malam (by: Hakim Hasnan)
• Buku (by: Khairi Hizami Bin Zalani)
• Cultural Change: Beyond the Ballot Box (by: Teoh Sing Fei)

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After a screening of videos which showcase the title through diverse perspectives, it is evident that the youths of Malaysia possess immense potential to be not only filmmakers, but future leaders who pledge patriotism and love for the diversity in our country. Then, a short interview and Q&A session were held with the[U1]  young filmmakers, conducted by the event’s emcee – Sadiq.

And finally, the winners were announced based on a collective decision by our esteemed curators, Victoria Cheng, Muzzamer Rahman, and Fuad Rahmat, who were also the judges for this contest:

• 1st place: Memoir
• 2^nd place: Butang Hukum
• 3^rd place: Garisan Penamat

Additionally, Butang Hukum also swept up Audience Choice Award, as decided by the guests through an online poll, determining it as the popular crowd favourite. A speech was given by Yana Rizal to congratulate the contestants for their dedication and creative endeavours. The contest ended at 1pm as the winners went home with prize money and certificates as a proof of their provision.

At the same time, registrations were made throughout the duration of the event, and the statistics gathered were very impressionable and proved the event to be successful: more than 300 guests, consisted of mostly Malaysian youths attended. After the guests have successfully registered, event-themed t-shirts and laptop stickers (sponsored by Malaysians 4 Malaysia) were handed out as complimentary gifts to guests, the gifts proved to be popular as they sported a simple yet meaningful design and was widely demanded.

Later in the afternoon, two workshops aimed to spread knowledge about filmmaking were conducted from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The first workshop was led by Dr Khairul Fazi, lecturing the finer points on the topic ‘Documentaries: The Bold New Cinéma Vérité’, reflecting on the documentary style as a prevalent filmmaking technique.

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The second workshop was conducted by Joshua Michael, explaining and elaborating on the topic ‘New Media, New Malaysia’, thus commenting on the media landscape in the current political and systematic climate. Waves of people filled the seats, eager to get a fill of filmmaking knowledge.

The Evening GALA began on 5.30pm with a light-hearted cocktail reception to break the ice. The buffet table was crammed with neatly-arranged finger-sandwiches, spaghetti Bolognese cups, kuih muih and beverages, as the guests mingled about and socialized.

As the crowds settled down for the screening, the highly-respected YB Fahmi Fadzil – who is the member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai – was given the honour to give an opening speech, stressing the importance of filmmaking as an art form and its power within Malaysian culture.

The first session of the screening started off with 160 Juta (Directed by: Ashrafiqal Aleef), featuring a strong female lead to defend her village against an exploitive person in power, but what makes it stood out was its western cowboy film inspired style, merging with and also contrasting against traditional Malay kampung culture.

Aku Dan Roxane (Directed by: Mohammad Fais Hafiz) was up next, leaving the audience to ponder the deeper meanings of ‘chaos’ in the city life of KL through its avant-garde editing, characters’ complex emotional space and stunning visuals of sombre, city neon lights.

And finally, Rumah Tidak Bertanah (Directed by: Putri Purnama Sugua) served as an ending to the first session, following the story of an undocumented child in Sabah, living in extreme poverty, striving to receive education and finally being separated from his parent as he ran from the police, accurately representing a current issue in Sabah.

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Afterwards, a Q&A session (led by Victoria Cheng) was held with the three filmmakers in order to give us a glimpse into the effort behind their productions.

The second session was held after a 30-minute prayer break. It began with Keretapi Ke Pangi (Directed by: Mohamad Yusof B. Sadjirin), illustrating the sentimental bonds between family members and their simple lives in a rural area, most particularly between a father and his son, their relationship was magnified during the father’s accident which requires the son to rush him to a faraway hospital as there aren’t any trains available.

Next up, Khilaf (Directed by: Khairi Asyraff & Produced by: Rais Aqil) effectively portrayed the political issue of child marriage and contradictory religious values through the story of a single father and his daughter being manipulated by a close friend into marrying his daughter after raping her, leaving the audience at the edge of their seats.

Ninavau (Directed by: Bebbra Mailin) narrates a common cultural problem between Islam and Christianity through Ninavau, who came from a Christian household, converting to Islam and face familial and societal pressures to freely follow her religion.

Malaysian Like Me (Directed by: Cech Adrea) is a documentary emphasizing on the lives through light-hearted banter between characters, showcasing a specific Malaysian-style of friendliness and humour that surrounds the relationship between us.

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A second Q&A session (led by Muzzamer Rahman) was held with the remaining filmmakers to understand more about their films.

Each films were then considered by a diverse panel of judges: Nova Goh – a documentary filmmaker, Redza Minhat – an actor and a scriptwriter, Indrani Kopal – a filmmaker, and Dr Wan Aida Wan Yahaya – an academic and a scriptwriter. Before the announcement of winners, speeches were given by each judge, along with the events’ curators to give their acknowledgements.

Finally, the winners of each category were announced after a decision was made:

• Best Cinematography: Khilaf, which used of wide-angled shots and clever character and object placements were able to enhance the thrilling effect, shots on the sun-lit rubber plantation particularly stood out.
• Best Editing: Khilaf, which effectively used fast-paced, match-on-action cuts to emphasize intensity and suspense, but also to portray a coherent sequence. 
• Best Director: Rumah Ndak Bertanah, applauded for the director’s competent management of actors – which featured the locals – and decisive leadership skills to depict an accurate plot of a true, lived experience.
• Best Storyline: Rumah Ndak Bertanah, which features an accurate portrayal of a prevalent social issue occurring in Sabah, also has a coherent narrative which stresses the logic of cause and effect.

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On the other hand, the audience were making their own decisions as well, as they decided on their favourites through an online poll. As a result, the Audience Choice Award winner is: 160 Juta, which features an interesting mash up between western culture and Malaysian culture, and an aesthetic of surreal golden-hour sunlight and dreamy ocean blue moonlight.

The award giving ceremony marked the end of Pesta Filem Kita 2. Overall, it managed to exceed the target of 300 visitors and welcomed more participation from the youths of Malaysia. Therefore, this event reserved a lot of potential for Projek Dialog, as we will definitely look forward to Pesta Filem Kita 3!

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!!! FINALIST ANNOUNCEMENT !!! After reviewing the ideas of the potential winners for #PestaFilemKITA2 grant, we finally have come to a decision! Therefore, we would like to say CONGRATULATIONS to the FINALISTS listed on the poster and MANY THANKS to all the parties who have helped in realizing the #PFK2 Grant Application. Good luck to all finalists and we look forward to their unique work at our Pesta Filem Kita 2019! #MarchOn #ProjekDialog #PESTAFILEMKITA2019]]>

Pesta Filem KITA is back and boy do we have some catching up to do. Do you still remember what it felt like when the results of GE14 came out? And do you feel like you are really living in a New Malaysia? Read on! This year, Pesta Filem KITA’s theme of ‘Youths and the New Malaysia’ is all about putting youths and film front and center, and how both should be recognised as having the power to express new hopes and dreams, and address ongoing issues. What would a better Malaysia look like? What are the challenges that we need to confront in order to progress? If anyone can visualise a New Malaysia that is more open and inclusive, it should be Malaysian youths. Stay tuned for an announcement on successful film grant applications, the jury panel, and other important dates! Feeling patriotic and expressive? Share your thoughts on ‘Youths and New Malaysia’ by creating YOUR short film! Click on this link to register http://bit.ly/geranPFK2 and to know more about the selection criteria and application guidelines.

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Projek Dialog recently collaborated with Youtubers “The Salad Show” on producing a fun and educational video on racial stereotypes in Malaysia, and how we can combat it. The video featured vocals from Darren Ashley and was in the format of a rap song. It also starred Youtubers Gudji and Harvinth Skin. The Salad Show produced, wrote, and directed the video, while Projek Dialog teamed up as an NGO partner and provided consultation for the video. Click the link here to watch the full video!]]>

On 26 October 2018, Projek Dialog was invited to attend an award ceremony with other award recipients – Projek Dialog was nominated for the Special Merit Award by the Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Fest 2018, and had won it. Projek Dialog had produced Youtube videos before, but this was the first time we were nominated for an award by an established film festival. The video that helped us garner this award was none other than Jejak Karbon, a PSA-style short video about how to reduce your carbon footprint during the national holiday of Hari Raya. It was shot in a Malay kampung house, and released on Youtube just in time for the Raya celebrations. Here is the link to the Youtube video.]]>