Monday, November 27, 2006

Movie On Botak Chin - Eulogising A Criminal?

This is what Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow had to say on the idea of a film about the notorious, late and very dead, Botak Chin. (Courtesy The Malay Mail)

He said any Malaysian in his or her right frame of mind would not want to glorify such a character. “Moreover, Malaysians would not be interested in watching a glorified criminal,” he said.

However, he clarified that his Ministry was as yet unable to comment on the movie. “It is not fair for me to give comments on behalf of the Ministry on this matter. It isn’t exactly a national issue but we will definitely look into it. “That will come after we receive details on the movie,” he said, adding that they will need more information from the filmmakers, instead of newspaper reports. “I can’t comment on the ‘what ifs’. The facts need to be clear and only then can we give full comments.”

In a faxed statement on Friday, Astro Shaw, whose subsidiary Karya Anggun is expected to produce the film, with a working title of Botak, stated that the company and its subsidiaries are working on a few projects, most of which are in the research stage. It also said that announcements on each project will be made accordingly and only upon the approval of the various projects by the relevant parties.

Comments from the Home Ministry could not be obtained yesterday.

Last week, The Malay Mail front-paged the impending production of the movie and quoted its executive producer, Dominique Hee, as saying that the project is in the early stages of pre-production and that casting for the film has already begun. The principal photography is said to be scheduled for July and August next year.

According to the Press release issued by Sony Pictures, the movie will feature the exploits of Gang 306, headed by Botak.

Botak was described as a charming yet cold-blooded killer who detested both the triads and the cops and decided to take the law into his own hands. The film’s tag-line reads — ‘Every society gets the criminals it deserves’.

It is expected to be helmed by Dukun director Dain Iskandar Said.

News of the impending production has sparked debate due to the subject’s controversial nature. Several quarters have lauded the project as a bold move while others have preached caution as the movie could be construed as glorifying a convicted criminal.

The local filmmaking community has also questioned whether the producers have obtained approval from Bukit Aman, as is the norm for any venture that involves the portrayal of the police. So far, Bukit Aman has yet to receive any application from the filmmakers.

Chin terrorised Kuala Lumpur in the mid 1970s with a series of robberies, bloody inter-gang rivalries and run-ins with the police. Some people believed he was also a Robin Hood, robbing the rich to give to the poor.

Chin was hanged for his crimes on June 11, 1981.

****** So after the Chin Peng movie debacle, will this film meet the same fate? A question that I would like to pose is, whether there is anything inherently wrong in making a movie on a bad guy? You know, some kind of unwritten rule or pantang. It's not as if that after the screening, hordes of young chinamen are going to roam the streets gunning people down or robbing banks! I personally feel that as long as the Royal Malaysia Police is not put in a bad light or any unfair or damaging political imputation is made and if reasonable care is taken to not exaggerate his deeds/misdeeds it should be OK.

For all you know it might even invigorate and breathe some life into our lethargic movie industry with a new genre of films - Malaysian baddies. And if Bollywood were to capitalize on it we might even have an international audience with the next blockbuster, "From Bentong To Batang Kali - The Life And Times Of Bentong Kali" starring Shah Rukh Khan!

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6 Comments:

Blogger The Malaysian. said...

In fact Menj, this film if it gets approval will get so much publicity, it will go a long way in spreading that message as you rightly pointed out. But alas, there are so many other considerations including the 'mood' of the several ministers involved in the decision prior to approval. Let's wait and see the outcome.

9:36 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What is Botak Chin's crime compared to those of UMNO. He may have killed several and robbed a couple of tens of times but he is gone.

While UMNO criminals are done thousand of criminal acts everyday, "killed" hundreds of thousands of careers and livelihood of Malaysians who are now overseas but what is worst the damage they are going is going to cause you and your future generations decades of agonies and misery. I think only the Catholic Church, the Nazis and the US/Israel Government are bigger criminals ranking by the number of people whose life and livelihood have been destroyed by such crimes.

5:19 AM GMT+8  
Blogger Botak said...

When I was in secondary school, my teacher explained to me why BOTAK was the nickname selected by CHIN. It stood for Belia Orang Tak Ada Kerja. Guess the environment factor made him lived a life of crime.

2:32 AM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pretty cool place you've got here. Thanx for it. I like such topics and anything connected to them. I would like to read a bit more soon.

11:45 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

2.Ven. Phra Piya Thammo,

Rumah Pangsa

Blk A-7-9- Jln Padang Tembak,

11400 Pulau Pinang,

Malaysia

Dear Devotees,

Before I commence of my letter-writing toward. All of you, I would like to inform all of you that I am not satisfy with the lawyer, Dato YIP KUM FOOK due to his bad inspirit impressions because he sent an inspector to come to our Buddhist Temple to arrest me without any good reason, moreover, the lawyer, YIP KUM FOOK is not satisfy with Chief monk.

When the Chief monk had me to go to his Temple already and he went away and left me alone to take care until Chief monk come back to the Temple first and he also told me not to leave the Temple if any committees or the chairman want to chase me out, you don’t leave the Temple at all understand? Then I said, alright? To the chief monk! On the second Day, YIP KUM FOOK came to our Temple and talk to me. He tired to make some inquiry from me and he asked me, where I come from? I told him that I came from Penang.

Then, I told to the lawyer (YIP KUM FOOK) that the chief monk came to Penang and fetch me and invited me to accompany him to go to his temple in K.L. I am not aware that YIP KUM FOOK is not in a good terms with the chief monk, chief monk already in this way, YIP KUM FOOK try to create trouble with me unnecessary. That is why, the lawyer want to chase me out of the Temple. Then I asked the lawyer, why you want to chase me out of the temple? Moreover, the Temple is not belonging to you, UNDERSATAND? Then, I asked him, who are you? I don’t know you at all, you have no right to chase me or control me at all, UNDERSTAND? You are just like a layman only. Do you know the regulations that any the chairman or committee cannot control the monks and the Nuns at all, also UNDERSTAND?

I scolded him like that. Then the lawyer (YIP KUM FOOK) is not satisfy with me and he told me that he will called the police to come to the Temple and arrest me. I told him to go ahead and called the police to come and arrest me. I won’t run away, I said to him like that. I have done nothing wrong toward you, why you want to arrest me? He said, he doesn’t like me to stay here. I asked him, why? Again. After this he got very angry with me, then he phoned up to the police and the police came to the Temple and told me to leave the Temple.

I told to the inspector of the again, 1 am sorry, I won’t leave the Temple because the chief monk had instructed me not to leave the Temple without his consent, UNDERSTAND? Then the inspector told me to leave, again. I told him I cannot leave the Temple because the Chief Monk hasn’t come back yet. This time, the inspector got very angry with me and he took out his handcuff and try to threaten me, then I immediately show off my hands for him to lock me up but he scare, then again, the inspector told me leave the Temple again but I still don’t want to leave the Temple.

Then I phoned up to the chief monk again and I told him that the inspector insisted want to arrest me, you better come back to settle the case for me. After this incident, Chief Monk came back to the Temple and take me to go to another temple and stay their. That’s all about this incidents! Last of all, I would like to inform all of you, that no committees or the chairman can control all the monks and Nuns at all also UNDERSTAND? “They are higher than the King,” also! So how can the laymen, the committees and the chairman to control them: – EVEN THE KING ALSO RESPECTED THE MONKS AND NUNS. Why the chairman doesn’t respect the monks and nuns? They will carry the sins later on, UNDERSTAND?

Yours in Dhamma

Ven. Phra Piya Thammo

Penang, Malaysia

Tel: 04-48272710

4:52 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree...Europeans and Islamic invasions have killed destroyed masses

12:14 AM GMT+8  

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