SOMETIMES, one can’t help but feel like a jaded cop in a US television series. I refer to American shows because jaded cops are apparently rare in Malaysia. This rarity exists because, as you may not know, Malaysian films and TV shows are not allowed to portray our national institutions and agencies in a negative light.

Now that we’ve we’ve gotten that out of the way, I also can’t help but also feel like the protagonist in the classic 1990s film “Groundhog Day.”

For those who may be too young to know this excellent film, it’s about a TV weatherman (Bill Murray), who finds himself waking up to Groundhog Day over and over again. He is doomed to relive the day, February 2, until he shakes off his ennui and cynicism.

Artists in Malaysia have to deal with censorship from the start of their projects. In fact, some use it as an excuse to avoid pursuing artistic goals or ideals. For some, censorship is the reason they refuse to venture into the creative field at all.

This is the state of the country. When the unity government came into power, many had high hopes for change, especially after one of our own, Fahmi Fadzil, became the communication and digital minister.

Fahmi is a friend and a former creative collaborator of mine. He approached me in the mid-2000s to write a feature article about me in a popular local English newspaper, which helped me gain some recognition.

From that point, I worked with him on his theatre projects, particularly the Projek Wayang series, which marked an exhilarating creative period for me.

We performed at various venues, even at a festival in Thailand, reinterpreting wayang as an art form with contemporary themes and methods, alongside other equally passionate collaborators.

During these early collaborations, he confided in me about his political aspirations and sought my opinion. I simply told him, “Be prepared,” drawing from my late grandfather’s experience in politics.

Little did I know that his ascent would be so rapid, although I always had faith in his capabilities.

Just to clarify, I haven’t been in touch with him much since he became a minister. I’m certain he has a lot on his plate.

While some in the creative arts community are understandably upset over the recent censorship of Amanda Nell Eu’s “Tiger Stripes,” it’s heartening to hear Finas chairman Kamil Othman say there was nothing inappropriate in the uncensored version of the film.

If there is to be change in the local creative industry, it is now, under the unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

However, change will take time, and it’s unlikely that I or my peers will witness its full realisation in our lifetime. This is a reality I’ve come to accept.

Nevertheless, it is vital that my peers set the wheels in motion. The question has always been about continuity. With each new government, legacy issues arise, and creative arts are often the least of its priorities, for better or worse.

For the better, I argue that there is relative freedom of expression in the live and performing arts, but this is not something to take for granted.

The mediated arts, especially filmmaking, frequently face the brunt of censorship. Filmmaking as an art form carries higher stakes and costs compared to other creative endeavours.

It’s also the form that best represents the dynamic, diverse, and contested facets of our Malaysian cultural life, blemishes and all. This is Malaysia—take it or leave it.

Until then, most of us will have to continue feeling like jaded cops, enduring the status quo. – October 27, 2023.
 

* Azmyl Yunor is a touring underground recording artiste, and an academic in media and cultural studies. He has published articles on pop culture, subcultures and Malaysian cultural politics. He adheres to the three-chords-and-the-truth school of songwriting, and Woody Guthrie’s maxim “All you can write is what you see”. He is @azmyl on Twitter.