GROWING up watching a variety of films, it never occurred to Saw Teong Hin that it might be strange for a Chinese Malaysian like himself to direct Malay films. “I never really thought about it until people started asking me again and again: ‘Why’s a Chinese [Malaysian] like you doing Malay films?’ But why not?” […]
hokkien
“They think I don’t know Malay”
By Gan Pei LingBORN on 1 June 1982, Mohd Azlan Iskandar started playing squash when he was eight. He turned professional in 2001 and has won 11 professional titles since then. The Asian champion is currently ranked 18th in the world. His highest ranking was 11th, in September 2008. The national number one is also setting up his […]
Choosing to stay
By Ding Jo-AnnWill Quah (all pics below courtesy of Will Quah) WILL Quah believes Malaysian television audiences are a lot cleverer that they’re given credit for. “I’ve heard high-ranking producers and executives say time and again that Malaysian audiences aren’t ready or are too stupid to understand certain issues — like politics, race, religion, wit and international […]
“Hokkien is my second language”
By Shanon ShahAnas Zubedy (all pictures below courtesy of Anas Zubedy) ANAS Zubedy, 46, sent out an appeal in September 2008, pleading for politicians from both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to stop politicking and focus on the economy instead. In addition to uploading it on his company website, Anas also published the appeal […]
Baca label dulu?
Oleh Shanon ShahBILA saya berumur tujuh tahun, ibu kepada rakan sekelas saya amat terhibur mendengar saya berceloteh dalam bahasa Hokkien dengan anaknya. “Kamu ini orang (bangsa) apa?” dia bertanya dalam bahasa Hokkien. “Saya ini orang putih (Inggeris),” saya menjawab. Dia tertawa terbahak-bahak. Tapi saya serius! Benar, saya boleh berbahasa Malaysia dan Hokkien, tetapi saya bertutur dengan ibu […]