People: The making of our nation

2011/08/25 SU AZIZ

(From left): Yee, Fahmi, Hardesh, Soo and Khoo bring forth their opinions on the Malaysian identity

The Malaysian identity, some say, is an elusive concept. SU AZIZ catches up with a few interesting minds to unearth answers ON a brown couch, facing a hodgepodge of dining chairs, sit four young creative minds who have been helming the arts scene in this country. Their relaxed postures defy the intensity with which they listen to introductions being made by restaurateur and advocate of the arts, Edward Soo, to the small audience, including five delegates from the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL). Soo speaks of the need for a Malaysian identity, for the language, beliefs, rituals and myths that must accompany it. Organiser of the first Malaysia Day street celebrations on Jalan Bangkung in Kuala Lumpur, last year, Soo believes that theres no shared common culture. Just then, Eddin Khoo takes centre stage. Khoo addresses the ACYPL delegates with an acknowledgement of our familiarity with the American culture, politics and issues. Muhammad Ali was and still is my hero, he says with a grin. As the one fighting for the survival of traditional theatre for its last breath outside its home ground of Kelantan, where it has been banned for more than five years, Khoos the respiratory system that keeps this piece of our identity alive, through Pusaka, a Centre for the Study and Documentation of Traditional Performance in Malaysia. While Khoo may delve into tradition to keep the Malaysian identity solid, Hardesh Singh, 35, exploits technology to help youth seek a more opaque version of our identity. Hardesh, as the man behind Pop TeeVee, the platform for The Effing Show and the much favoured That Okay Song, has been described as a technopreuner and social media person. The popular song had a viral effect within days of its release, which could be due to its undoubtedly 21st Century Malaysian flavour. Give them the Malaysia that they want, he says.

Now, he has started whatdoyouwant.my for college students or as he calls them, first-time voters. Heres where they can learn about topics on Malaysia which are relevant to them: why they should take part in National Service, why they should carry their identity card around, etc. And not about our law, or things like that. Yes, no bigger picture issues for them. At least, not yet. Let them catch their breath first. Unless of course, theyre hit by Yee I-Lanns art. Perpetually smiling, her curly mass of hair in a bob and purple scoop-neck top loose around her friendly curves, I-Lann straddles the politically acceptable world along with the vibrant underground world of music and art. You know, a lot of politicians buy my art! she says with a laugh. On the matter of Malaysia and its elusive identity, the Sabah-born artist feels art in Malaysia reflects our critical thinking. She finds the curtailing of human rights in Malaysia a tad scary, and she admits that, its lazy to use censorship as an excuse (to not produce creative work). There are plenty of ways to work around it. Its a sharp statement, a wake-up call for us to broaden our creativity and put a cork in that complaining bottle. The official Malaysia Day, which landmarked her state and Sarawaks initiation as part of Malaysia in 1963, evoked conflicting emotions in her both as Malaysian and Sabahan. Pouring that emotional fuel into art, she worked with Royal Selangor on four limited edition commemorative plates to mark the first Malaysia Day. Each plate, she explains, is decorated with images taken from official historical records of the events that were held on the original Malaysia Day. Immortalised on those plates, in time-defying pewter, are pieces of our identity in form of our forefathers responsible for the union of our 13 states and Federal Territory. Fahmi Fadzil, looking as right-wing as his crisp, blue shirt and large, black-rimmed glasses can muster, is a theatre actor. Nowadays, Fahmis been dipping his toe in political at times shark-filled waters. Some from the theatre world, he says, have been more than a little surprised at his choice. Always vibrantly creative, young to a fault, with a sharp mind that hardly takes a second off and bushy-tailed as ever, he seems an unlikely candidate to assist a young politician of the opposition party. Still, he soldiers into the political field to, Intervene. Circumvent censorship. With no Malaysia, theres no reason, no stage on which I can perform. And validate his Malaysian identity. His ready smile alternates with momentary seriousness, I want to discover the definition of wayang. And politics, it has been described by some, is a form of wayang. Although, the question here is, is he the dalang for his politician? Well, it is early days still. Looks like well just have to wait to find out.

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