Read the director's own take on Why is Lelaki Komunis Terakhir banned in Malaysia.
But basically, I think it's first and foremost because of the title. Not just because it has the word "komunis", but also the fact that there was a previous local movie with the title "Perempuan Melayu Terakhir". There's already a sort of romanticism and feel-good factor to the phrase Perempuan-Melayu-Terakhir (PMT), and suddenly Amir came and put forth a Chin Peng-inspired documentary titled Lelaki Komunis Terakhir.
If there's no previous PMT movie, would people readily accuse a documentary titled Lelaki Komunis Terakhir as an attempt to "glorify the communist leader when the country has much more credible people that we can learn from"?
Do we only learn from the good things that happened? Shouldn't we also learn about the bad? Learn, i.e. to not repeat them. Learn, to know that A is wrong and B is right. Learn, why is it such.
There's a Malay saying that goes, "Yang baik jadikan tauladan, yang buruk jadikan sempadan".
As far as I'm concerned, Chin Peng is one to be considered as sempadan.
I've not seen Lelaki Komunis Terakhir yet, and I want to.
Why?
Not because I think Chin Peng is someone to be glorified.
Not because I'm insensitive to the hurt that he's caused to our countrymen during his time, the fathers and the grandfathers of fellow Malaysians today.
Not because Communism is an ideology I'm interested to see in practice.
But because I'm interested to know how a semi-musical-documentary would be like, because Amir Muhammad made a couple of movies that I've enjoyed watching before and because I want to learn whatever I could (if there's any) from the movie. Either as a teladan or sempadan. I'm a product of a local school system. I read local dailies since I was five year old. Of course the mere notion of Chin Peng, to me, is a sempadan.
You think by watching a semi-musical-documentary of places he's lived in, would change that?
Let we think for ourselves, lah. Listen and make decisions based on facts, not just notions and the mere mention of the word "komunis". Take it within the context. Lelaki Komunis Terakhir. The Last Communist. Why won't the title be taken as Amir's patriotic claim to Malaysia successfully banishing all commies from its terra firma then?
IF
Chin Peng = Communist
Chin Peng = exiled from Malaysia
AND
last = the only remaining
THEREFORE
"The Last Communist" = The only remaining Communist, Chin Peng, who has been exiled from Malaysia
Conclusively means,
In Malaysia, there are no more communists!
Tak patriotik ke tu?
But basically, I think it's first and foremost because of the title. Not just because it has the word "komunis", but also the fact that there was a previous local movie with the title "Perempuan Melayu Terakhir". There's already a sort of romanticism and feel-good factor to the phrase Perempuan-Melayu-Terakhir (PMT), and suddenly Amir came and put forth a Chin Peng-inspired documentary titled Lelaki Komunis Terakhir.
If there's no previous PMT movie, would people readily accuse a documentary titled Lelaki Komunis Terakhir as an attempt to "glorify the communist leader when the country has much more credible people that we can learn from"?
Do we only learn from the good things that happened? Shouldn't we also learn about the bad? Learn, i.e. to not repeat them. Learn, to know that A is wrong and B is right. Learn, why is it such.
There's a Malay saying that goes, "Yang baik jadikan tauladan, yang buruk jadikan sempadan".
As far as I'm concerned, Chin Peng is one to be considered as sempadan.
I've not seen Lelaki Komunis Terakhir yet, and I want to.
Why?
Not because I think Chin Peng is someone to be glorified.
Not because I'm insensitive to the hurt that he's caused to our countrymen during his time, the fathers and the grandfathers of fellow Malaysians today.
Not because Communism is an ideology I'm interested to see in practice.
But because I'm interested to know how a semi-musical-documentary would be like, because Amir Muhammad made a couple of movies that I've enjoyed watching before and because I want to learn whatever I could (if there's any) from the movie. Either as a teladan or sempadan. I'm a product of a local school system. I read local dailies since I was five year old. Of course the mere notion of Chin Peng, to me, is a sempadan.
You think by watching a semi-musical-documentary of places he's lived in, would change that?
Let we think for ourselves, lah. Listen and make decisions based on facts, not just notions and the mere mention of the word "komunis". Take it within the context. Lelaki Komunis Terakhir. The Last Communist. Why won't the title be taken as Amir's patriotic claim to Malaysia successfully banishing all commies from its terra firma then?
IF
Chin Peng = Communist
Chin Peng = exiled from Malaysia
AND
last = the only remaining
THEREFORE
"The Last Communist" = The only remaining Communist, Chin Peng, who has been exiled from Malaysia
Conclusively means,
In Malaysia, there are no more communists!
Tak patriotik ke tu?
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