I AM saddened by the sudden unexpected death of filmmaker Mansor Puteh from a single motor vehicle accident early Sunday morning July 7, 2024. He was 77 years old.

Mansor came into my world in December 2005 although I would never meet him till over a decade later in 2017 on the occasion of the launching the Malaysian edition of my Liberating The Malay Mind in Shah Alam.

I was very much touched by his personal story of having miraculously survived a lethal bone cancer diagnosed when he was studying at Columbia University. I penned an article on his battle that appeared in The Sundaily, Sunday edition, on December 9, 2005.

Since returning to Malaysia, sans his graduate degree in Fine Arts (Film-making), he had become a regular blood donor. Many had benefited from his literal gift of life. Perhaps that was his way of repaying his gratitude for having survived his cancer.

Over the years, he had kindly kept me up to date on his work, often sending me clips of his films. I am also grateful for his many kind and penetrating comments on my articles, always perceptive and also always courteous. He never hesitated in pointing out my misinformation and countering my arguments when he disagreed with me, and did so ever so gently and politely.

Most of all, I treasured his many anecdotes he had of our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, as his family was close to him. He released a documentary, “The Residency Years,” about the Tunku. I was thrilled when he gave me a copy of it.

Mansor was very much aware that he was a medical miracle, or more correctly, God’s. Bone cancer is a lethal disease more so back then. He had led a full life, contributing to his art and more to the hundreds who had benefited from his gift of regular blood donations. 

I last heard from him just a month ago commenting on one of my articles. His sharp critical sense was very much in evidence. His e-mail in part reads:

“I lodged a complaint with JPA who oversees all government agencies and told them why all officials of Finas are those who are not qualified in film. They say they are investigating the matter. I also lodged a complaint with Kementerian Kewangan and asked them how they just give Finas grants every year without knowing if the officials in the film agency are qualified.

“Finas is given RM30 million a year for the 300-400 staff and other expenses, yet the only known official duty they are doing is to disburse RM20 million in grants to film producers. This can be done by any bank.”

That was Mansor Puteh. Always sharp, always critical, and always unafraid to voice his views. The nation has lost a great and creative talent! May Allah bless his soul! – July 8, 2024.

* M. Bakri Musa reads The Malaysian Insight.