Sunday, July 26, 2009

We will miss you, Yasmin Ahmad.

Click on image for a video farewell

I am finally able to sit down and pen some thoughts about film maker Yasmin Ahmad. On late Friday evening, I received an SMS from Engku Imran, the CEO of Suria FM, informing me that Yasmin Ahmad had passed away. He has been keeping a vigil almost every day at the hospital. While we knew the award-winning film maker was fighting for her life, the news still came as a shock.

I have never had a chance to meet her. I certainly regretted that. Many of my friends and colleagues shared with me the many wonderful things about her. For me, like most Malaysians, we admired her many heart-stirring commercials.

We looked forward to her Petronas advertisements at each and every festival. They were real, and most of all, she reminded us of the beauty of multi-racial Malaysia. If our politicians failed miserably, certainly she single-handedly showed us what being Malaysian meant.

Through her many films, she ventured into subjects regarded as taboo and sensitive in Malaysia. A Chinese boy falling in love with a Malay girl with liberal-minded parents. I cannot remember any single Bahasa Malaysia movie using a Sam Hui song as a track. Except Yasmin.

Just read the comments on the Net and Twitter, she had such enormous appeal. She would be missed for sure. It's so terribly sad that she would no longer be with us. There was so much more she could do. She was working with TV3 for future projects when she collapsed. But God has his plans. Rest in peace.

9 comments:

Nick Chan Abdullah said...

the country has lost THE only good international-class director

Anonymous said...

It's indeed sad that the country has lost such a rare talent.

After such depressing news, many of us need cheering up badly.

For a laugh, go to this web-page:
http://futurefastforward.com/feature-articles/2104

Grey Sky

Anonymous said...

Dear WCW,
Its a shame u hv never met Kak Yasmin, what is there to regret if u chose not to?
I remember the first time I met Sharifah Armani in Penang and I commented "u r such a warm girl,how I wish I have a daughter like u...." She replied me "you should meet Kak Yasmin, she is most wonderful..."
I wish I have the chance to meet her... but I get to know her reading her blogs and never failed to see all her works in commercials and films REPEATEDLY. Yet how many of our leaders are able to see what she is trying so hard to tell us?
I can't help tearing when I read what she wrote on Teoh Beng Huat.... *her reply to those who asked what has TBH GOT TO DO WITH U? and her Reply..."Because I M HUMAN AND I M MALAYSIAN"
Her films have strong critics back home yet she touches the hearts of many at international level....SIMPLY TO LOVE and forgive.
Will the leaders of BOLIHland ever learnt?
Do you know you have blogged on 2 wonderful people who passed away in your BLOG one after another.... Is this not good enough learning?

WHAT IS THERE TO REGRETT if we want to make the best FOR OUR CHILDREN N YOUNG PEOPLE like what Kak Yasmin did. Go to you-tube and see the one where 2 boys were asked to spell dinosaur and when she asked one of them what is the RACE of the other boy... Both boys answered "What RACE... Car Racing?
Sadly what is happening in REALITY? I hope RTM, TV3, NTV7, TV8... will make the effort to screen the works of KAK YASMIN to bring back the LOVE and non discrimination of this beautiful country before it is too late. Her works all involved children and young people as KAK Yasmin sees the HOPE in them to change... will our leaders or her critics see that?
I hope all will before it is too late... time does not wait for us.

Anonymous said...

She is a true Malaysian making films for all Malaysians without any racial boundaries.You could see her films with all the three races together and this is what we called "Malaysia".We really will miss her and May her soul rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

Wai,if only all media people follow 1/3 her interest in uniting the nation our country will be better off.Most media baron wont do it bcos it will offend the "bosses" who want to divide and rule.Read utusan today, no mention of her hubby's name (strange?)bcos he's a chinese guy!

Unknown said...

Dear Wong,

Once in a while we come across a true Malaysian who sees things from a non racial view.

It is sad that a rare talent like her left us so fast.

Our politicians have a lot to learn from her life.

Anonymous said...

Yasmin was indeed a Malaysian Hero.
There r actually very few of them in Malaysia.
These heroes sincerely promote racial unity.
God knows who they are.
We pray to God to give us more of them.
Bless u Yasmin
Rest in Peace now.

Veera Lakshmi

Tanuja Chaturvedi said...

Just last week i had the privilege to watch "Funeral." It filled my eyes with tears. It made me laugh. And as a media person it Taught me that I had still so much to learn as a human being. Her going away has come as a real shock and filled me with sadness. Nit just Malaysia people in India will miss her zen like calm and the bursting into peals of laughter. She will rest in God. Our prayers are with her family. Tanuja

Anonymous said...

Kepada Anonymous July 27, 2009 4.39pm. Anda bercakap tentang 1Malaysia tetapi yg jelas minda anda juga 1track yg mempertonton betapa prejudisnya anda terhadap media berbahasa Melayu. Bukan sahaja Utusan menyiarkan nama suami Yasmin, tetapi juga gambar beliau. So, siapa yang bukan 1Malaysia sebenarnya.
Sila lawat URL2 ini:
1. http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0726&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=Muka_Hadapan&pg=mh_04.htm&arc=hive
2. http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0728&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=Hiburan&pg=hi_01.htm&arc=hive