Drawing A Salary At NST

After I crashed and burned with my HSC exams in 1976, I decided to pursue my A levels and read law (hahahah). This was of course after my wish to become an artist was turned down by my parents. So I signed up for a course at Stamford College in PJ. I was there hardly two months when I applied for and got a job as a cadet reporter with The New Straits Times.
It was here that I met journalism greats - Pak Dahari and Pak Samad. I also worked under Philip Matthews, P.C. Shivadas, Rejal Arbee and many others including Rudy Beltran and Patrick Teoh.
My colleagues include Sheila Natarajan, Lam Seng Fatt, William D' Cruz, K. Vijayan, Tony Francis, John Fernandez, Fifi Lim, Saw Teck Meng, Wan A. Hulaimie, Kee Thuan Chye and Lee Boon Siew. I'm sure most of you would find the above names familiar, at the least.
Other acquaintances during my stint as a journalist there include Marina Mahathir, Rehman Rashid, Zainon Ahmad, K. Nadeswaran, Leeps (Lee Pan Seng), Unny Krishnan and Mohamed Nor Khaled (more popularly known as Lat and now a Dato').
As most cadet reporters are required to do, I began life covering the courts - usually under the eye of one Hanim Melan (who is also Mrs John Fernandez). Covering courts has its ups and downs - depending on the cases you covered. Unfortunately for me I was not allowed to cover the big cases.
I remember attending shorthand classes in NST Training center - taught by a lady named Putri. She taught us this unique shorthand called Teeline used by journalists world over. I still use it today when taking notes. (see sample of teeline below). The spelling system of teeline is basically similar to the ones used by sms texters all over the world.
After the stint in courts, the next stop was at the Crime Desk - under the legendary Rudy Beltran. John F was his assistant and K. Vijayan the senior crime reporter. Even Lat, during his days as a reporter had to 'suffer' under the Beltran's tutelage. Rudy was as tough as a boss can be - sometimes more like the typical newsroom character much like those you see in B Grade American movies where the Boss is always seen shouting and screaming most times at his underlings.
But under that tough exterior lies a musician - an accomplished pianist actually. In fact, after he retired, I heard he taught piano.
Now, my salary was miserable (what can I expect with an MCE qualification). It was in the region of six hundred or so a month. I made some more through overtime and working extra shifts. At that time, however, I haven't honed my writing skills to the extent where I could make loads of money writing for supplements like the others.
So I waited and waited. (Within a few years, I succeeded and would actually have my own weekly columns). Luck was also on my side - I befriended Lat - already a famous cartoonist. I admired his work and told him I was a cartoonist too - having published some works in my mom's women's magazine 'JUWITA' (a magazine which ran for about a year). I also appeared live on TV as a cartoonist on one RTM Panorama episode. Lat immediately put in a good word for me and without much hassle, I soon had a cartoon strip appearing in The Sunday Times - a strip named Some People ( a name coined by the editor - Nadarajah). I used a pen name - Didi.
Below are some more of the cartoons that appeared (including a couple - under the name Dood - that appeared in Juwita) in The New Sunday Times in 76=77, (You can click on the cartoons to get a sharper image).
Below is a cartoon I did at that time, as a nod to Lat, who gave me the opportunity to draw for NST. I will post some more of my old cartoons here from time to time.

A Little Movie Horror Does No Harm

Yes yes i know - it's a sweeping statement. But I believe that. Scary and horror movies do not harm society at large. Yes I agree that movies (what ever kind) sometime leave an indelible mark in some, but it's far and few.
It's a debate that has been going on over two decades - in terms of producing content for local TV and cinema. Remember the VHS policy on RTM announced by the former Information Minister Tok Mat over a decade ago? It completely wiped out a single genre for more than 10 years. No violence, no horror, no sex. No Fun.
It's a little weird since that was the generation that grew up watching Mariam Menado's Pontianak, P. Ramlee's Orang Minyak and SiTora and other title's like Hantu Jerangkung and Hantu Kubor. None from that generation went gaga or violent right? This is your father's generation ok? It was the time when going to a horror movie is just another night's outing. What was okay for them is now not okay for us.
Check out the ad below - it's the Straits Times - the date? September 1, 1957 - it's the first day of Independance - it's Merdeka day. Check out what premiered at the Odeon and Cathay Cinemas - right it's Dendam Pontianak starring the great Maria Menado. So, if this horror movie is good enough for the now free Malayans, why not now? Was tahyul and superstition okay in 1957 and taboo in 2008?
Now maybe you're wondering why I'm jerking around when the cinemas are full of horror movies since about sux years ago. Yes yes I know. Since Shuhaimi Baba's Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam, there's been a non-stop screening of Malay horror films - Mistik, Waris Jari Hantu, Puaka Tebing Biru, Zombie Kampung Pisang (to name just a few) and the big one - Ahmad Idham's Jangan Pandang Belakang. So what am I bitching about?
Well, unknown to many (because there has been an 'overkill' in production of such movies) there is an underground swell to once again start banning such films.

Maybe it's also the fault of local film and TV producers who have been churning out bad horror rip-offs. Imagine on TV, there's Anak Pontianak, there's Saka, there's Ghosts and there's Susuk amongst others. Including my own Bilik No. 13.
There's a claim that the violence in our society - the horrible murders, kidnappings and histeria break outs in schools - are the direct result of these TV series and movies. There is a movement out to ban such series - good ones and bad ones.
So I hope fans of local horror movies come out in numbers to write in and tell the powers that be that the horror genre is welcomed.
Whilst I hope that such freedom still exists for film directors and producers - I hope the quality and the creativity of filmmakers improve in time - so that artistic merit overwhelms content quality. Which is why I am looking forward to James Lee's Histeria.
Anyway, for those who enjoy such fare - write in to the mainstream press - tell them you like and enjoy such series or films - because the press are prone to printing only letters from self-proclaimed moral guardians, that condemn such fare.
If we lose this battle, our cinema will never win the fight against other taboos - taboos like sex and political content - genres that have not yet been touched by filmmakers.
For horror fans, enjoy the little VCD movie I did about 7 years ago entitled Histeria (sorry James). It's a cheap horror anthology based on a theater play I did entitled Hantu-Hantu Yang Saya Kenali which was staged at the national Museum about 8 years ago. It's not one of my better works, but it did star an old dear friend - the late Hani Mohsin. Someone posted it on Youtube. The lipsynching on some of the chapters is off, so bear with it. Maybe, sometime soon, I will post the best of Bilik no.13. Enjoy.
Histeria Part 1

HIsteria Part 2

Histeria Part 3

Histeria Part 4

Histeria Part 5

Histeria Part 6

Histeria Part 7

Histeria Part 8

Histeria Part 9

Histeria Part 10

Histeria Part 11

Adylla - Home Again

Adylla's home now - after a short adventure at the Assunta Hospital. She was soooo glad to come home. She overdosed on Korean soap operas whilst she was bedridden - hmmm wonder why Assunta had a Korean TV channel on the cable TV? Are there so many Koreans in PJ and they get admitted often to Assunta til they had to subscribe to a Korean TV channel? Not that I mind - Dylla enjoyed the soaps. But I guess not many Malays get admitted in Assunta because there's no Malay channel.
Adylla is feeling much better - coughs a little but now having a tablet buffer daily. Puteh is also down and out - coughing and hacking and sneezing. But being an adult means never having to go to the clinic right? Well after much coaxing she did - now she's on anti-biotics too.
Medical bills shooting up y'all! Haha...good health is priceless!
Anyway, Adylla came home smiling and happy - that was until she dropped by her school to get her homework journal - its a lot! So I guess her Chinese New Year holidays has become her homework catch-up time.
To all those who dropped by the hospital - thanks a bunch and so too to those who called and texted asking about her condition after reading it on this blog. My 5'5" princess is back home....back to seeing Bones DVD three seasons in a row.

The Adventures of Adylla in Assunta - Day Two

Today is Dylla's second day in Assunta hospital. She looks bored. She also has to take ventolin inhalation regularly. Her fever comes and goes, and I think she does look a little better. Doctor confirms she has a viral infection and hopefully the treatment she is undergoing will help her fight off the bug. Meanwhile she has her books, her DVDs, her magazines and her food to keep her occupied. She doesn't mind being alone without her parents for most times of the day as she can also sleep off her boredom.
Meanwhile, Puteh and I went to a wedding in the afternoon - that of Amir and Murni. Amir is the son of Puan Hamidah Karim - who was my Head of School when I did studied at ITM in the late 70s. My wife, Puteh, who happened to be my senior in college, also studied under her - as did some of her other friends like Shameen and Zaidah who were also there at the wedding.
I also met an old friend (don't think she likes to be called old) at the wedding. Her name is Sofia Jane. You all know her. It seems she was a classmate of Hamidah's daughter Hayati. They were both in Assunta in the late 80s. Better not divulge the exact date - you know how women are when exposing their ages.
Anyway, tonight, I'll be going back to the Assunta hospital to spend some more time with Dylla. And maybe catch another latte at Starbucks on the ground floor of the hospital.

In Memoriam

On a sad note, a couple of friends passed away this week - dear friend Felix Abisheganaden - passed away after a short illness - he was 85. I first met him during my journalism days in the New Straits Times (he was not there when I worked in NST but he was one of NST's earliest Managing Editors). Felix was already a top PR consultant then when I was just starting my career as a writer and reporter. His daughter Hannah was a colleague as was Hannah's husband K.C.Boey. He started Prestige Communications with Puan Hamidah Karim - who was my Head of School in ITM late seventies. Goodbye Felix - Rest In Peace. You will be remembered.
Another friend is singer, musician, songwriter, actor Loloq - who passed away suddenly of a stroke. He was only 50. The entertainment industry will miss him much.
Oh yes - Pak Soeharto also kicked the bucket.

Dylla In Assunta Hospital

It's been a roller coaster week for me - personally and also professionally. I won't delve into the professional part because I'm trying to sort those things first. Need to have clarity, with clarity, solutions are possible. Personally, well my daughter, 16-year-old Dylla who has been suffering from coughs and fever last few days got worse and my wife decided to take her to Assunta - wondering why the nagging cough still persists. I was at a meeting with a friend when I received a call from her saying that the doctor wants to admit her - worried that the viral infection may lead to pneumonia.
So, Dylla, my little trouper, is now in Wad Mawar, room 10. She hasn't been admitted since she was Primary 5 - so it's quite an experience for her to be injected a few times - for blood tests and for a drip.
When I dropped by to see her I asked if she wanted Dr House to come a-calling, but no, she prefers Dr. McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy. Anyway, she didn't look too upset at having to stay in hospital for the next few days - she did however ordered a few Chic Lit book (bought for her two books 'You Had Me At Halo' and 'Second Time Lucky'), a few teen mags, a word search puzzle book and the latest season of Las Vegas on DVD - she'd already gone through the whole season of Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal and House a few weeks back.
Hopefully, she'll recover soon. The only minus point for her was that she was going to her first house party tonight - one of her friend's birthday party - so that's out of the question now.
On the high side of the week, my younger brother Asnadi and his wife, Aina, returned for a two week holiday from New Jersey - after three years. My mom was in tears to see him again, and my Dad is as happy as can be. It's nice to have the whole family back together again. Asnadi is looking forward to eating and eating and eating - but is really taken aback at the traffic mess we have created - well which developing country isn't without its setbacks. Better the traffic jam in KL than in Bangkok, Quezon City and Jakarta!