Dua Buah Buku Suam-suam Kuku

Tajuk: Bapaku P. Ramlee
Oleh: Nasir P. Ramlee
Terbitan: MPH Group Publishing Sdn Bhd.

Tahun: 2007

Sinopsis:

Lebih seakan sebuah memoir daripada sebuah biografi, karya yang ditulis oleh anak kandung P. Ramlee menceritakan perit getir, suam manis hidup, kerja dan pencapaian seniman negara P. Ramlee pada waktu penulis masih kecil lagi sehinggalah waktu akhir riwayatnya.

Rasa:

Sebuah buku yang sememangnya patut dijadikan bahan 'memoribilia' peminat-peminat P. Ramlee. Bukunya nipis dan ceritanya pendek-pendek. Mungkin ramai di antara kawan-kawan saya yang mengamati buku ini mengatakan bahawa buku ini agak 'caca merba' kerana tidak mengikut satu struktur yang boleh berkait-kait. Sebenarnya, itulah keunikan buku ini, dan sebenarnya buku ini tidaklah se'kacau' mana, malah boleh diertikan buku ini mengikut 'topik' yang diutarakan dalam satu-satu bab (seperti novel Bintang Bukan Saja di Langit) dalam menjalinkan cerita. Dan cara Nasir menceritakannya sangat mencuit hati, ada 'volume' dalam penceritaannya dan kadang-kala menyentuh perasaan. Hanya, saya tidak berapa setuju dengan Nasir (ini kebiasaan budaya orang timur) yang cuba selindung-selindung tentang beberapa perkara peribadi di dalam buku ini. Jikalau penulis itu tidak mahu mendedahkannya, baik penulis itu tidak sentuh langsung subjek itu atau ditiadakan ungkapan "terlalu peribadi untuk diceritakan di sini".

Ada beberapa tempat di dalam buku ini, jika dihuraikan dengan panjang lebar, lebih menguatkan isi memoir ini. Ini termasuklah cita-cita tidak kesampaian P. Ramlee dan lagu terakhir ciptaan P. Ramlee yang sememangnya memaparkan 'cerita' tentang kegelisahan seniman agung itu dalam mengamati sisa-sisa akhirnya sebagai seorang seniman yang mula dipandang sepi. Perkara ini diluahkan dengan jujur oleh Nasir. Malah, dengan cerita-cerita Nasir ini, terjawab juga beberapa mitos yang mengatakan filem-filem P. Ramlee tidak mendapat sambutan orang ramai. Sebenarnya filem-filem Jalan Ampasnya (diakhiri dengan Tiga Abdul) memang mendapat sambutan tinggi khalayak penonton Melayu. Hanya apabila Allahyarham berpindah ke Studio Merdeka, filem-filemnya mula tidak berjaya di kalangan penonton dan cerita yang didengar seperti pawagam lengang walaupun keraan filem-filem P. Ramlee berlaku waktu itu.

Apa-apa pun, buku ini mungkin bukan biografi terbaik P. Ramlee, jauh sebagai memoir terbaik Nasir P. Ramlee, tetapi buku ini sangat sesuai sebagai 'companion book' terhadap beberapa buku yang ditulis tentang P. Ramlee, dalam mengikuti pintu-pintu tertutup dan peribadi P. Ramlee, dan bagaimana kegeniusan arwah tercetus. Selepas membaca buku ini, anda akan ketahui, bahawa titik kekereatifan dan cetusan budaya kita sentiasa bermula dengan warung kopi- suatu norma yang diambil enteng oleh orang kita, tetapi sebenarnya punca titik penciptaan pelbagai karya agung kita.

Tajuk: Menjadi Penulis Jutawan

Oleh: Nimoiz T Y

Terbitan: Truewealth Publishing

Tahun: 2007

Sinopsis:

Buku ini mewar-warkan bahawa dengan membaca buku ini, anda akan mencapai FORMULA HEBAT UNTUK MENJANA KECEMERLANGAN DALAM BIDANG PENULISAN. Ditambah dengan kata-kata Azizi Ali: "Buku ini menceritakan langkah-langkah yang perlu diambil untuk menjadi seorang penulis yang berjaya, dan mengaut hasil yang lumayan."

Rasa:

Perkara pertama yang buat saya agak ragu-ragu tentang buku ini ialah: "Jika dengan mengikut formula buku ini sebagai penulis jutawan saya boleh kaya, kenapa penulis buku ini masih tidak jadi jutawan?".

Saya terfikir juga, kenapa Azizi Ali (penerbit buku ini) tidak ambil Ahadiat Akshah atau sekurang-kurangnya Faisal Tehrani (disebut sebagai Siti Nurhaliza Susastera) sebagai penulis buku ini? Kerana, setelah saya menyelami kesemua 249 halaman buku ini, saya tidak yakin bahawa saya boleh menjadi seorang penulis jutawan, ataupun seorang penulis berwibawa.

Sebenarnya, niat penulis buku ini adalah murni; mempersembahkan kepada pembaca, peminat sastera dan penulis yang baru mahu menulis tentang asas-asas, asam garam dan 101 perkara yang perlu ditahu sebelum menjadi penulis TEMPATAN. Di situ sahaja titik kemurniaan buku ini terhenti. Untuk mengaprisiasikan seorang anak menjadi penulis jutawan, Nimoiz mempunyai jalan yang sangat jauh untuk meyakini anak itu untuk berkobar bahawa profesionalisme menulis boleh membawa keuntungan yang besar.

Ini adalah kerana, buku ini lebih sesuai kepada para remaja dan dewasa yang baru saja mahu berjinak-jinak dengan industri pembukuan di Malaysia. Perkara-perkara ini dirumus dan diringkaskan dengan baik oleh Nimoiz. Tetapi, dengan meneliti secara kritikal makna mencari keuntungan, teknik-teknik menulis yang boleh memaut minat pembaca, idea promosi, isi buku ini masih dangkal dan tidak menyelami sehingga ke dasarnya. Kesemua perkara yang ditulis sudah maklum diketahui oleh penulis biasa (regular writer). Malah, saya agak tersedak dalam beberapa bab dalam buku ini yang sangat naif dalam mencirikan penulis yang dibolehkan di Malaysia dan penulis yang tidak dibolehkan di Malaysia. Idea kesusasteraan ini luas, tetapi buku ini sudah awal-awal lagi menggerakkan pembacanya untuk menulis dalam bentuk 'murni-Melayu-kebangsaan', perkara-perkara yang langsung tidak mengambil berat tentang kewujudan penulis Mahua, India, Siam dan bangsa minoriti lain di Malaysia yang menulis dalam bahasa Melayu, tetapi lebih sesuai dengan novel-novel popular Creative dan Alaf 21 (dan kini, DBP juga mahu mencuba formula ini).

Gaya 'self sensorship' atau "mereka, para pembaca Melayu akan sukakah dengan tulisan aku ini?" memang sudah sangat biasa menular dalam penulisan (dan inilah unsur pertama kenapa pengkaji sastera luar sentiasa mencela susastera kita, walaupun akhir-akhir ini susastera kita sudah mula tampak kelainannya) kita, malah beberapa novelis jutawan sebenarnya mengikut penggayaan ini dengan tawaduk (walaupun novel-novel Ahadiat dikatakan tidak mempunyai 'nilai murni', novel-novelnya tetap bersifat didaktik, di mana si nakal akan mencapai satu 'pengajaran' di akhir cerita). Maka pengertian itu sudah diketahui umum. Apa yang kita mahu lihat ialah, bagaimana penulis boleh fikir di luar kotak (tidak semestinya melawan norma masyarakat), dan bagaimana penerbit/pengedar buku boleh menjana sebuah strategi baharu dalam penciptaan seorang penulis jutawan. Perkara-perkara ini yang saya mahu lihat ada di dalam buku ini kerana saya sebetul-betulnya rasa tertipu dengan semangat 'gah' buku ini.

Buku ini, walaupun bukan buku untuk saya, sangat sesuai bagi pembaca dan peminat muda yang ingin tahu betapa siksanya penulis di Malaysia mahu jadi seorang jutawan.

Lagi Tentang Mengehadkan Kebebasan Bersuara

Termination of columns an attempt to curb plurality of views?
by CIJ, 13 August 2007
Source : CIJ

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned that columnists with critical views are being removed from the government-linked daily New Straits Times (NST). The move raises suspicion that the government is intent on increasing its control over public discussion in the mainstream media amidst expectations of an early general election. The removal of the columnists further shrinks the balance of views in the Malaysian media.

The Thursday column of Amir Muhammad, and Zainah Anwar's Friday column, last appeared on August 2 and July 27 respectively. Amir Muhammad confirmed that NST canceled his column on August 6 on his blog http://amirmu.blogspot.com/, while the deputy group editor of NST, Kamarul Idris Zulkifli told CIJ that the paper decided not continue Zainah's column. He declined to comment, but Zainah said NST cited lack of space for non-staff columns.

Amir Muhammad is the director for two films- The Last Communist and its sequel the Village People Radio Show, which got banned because of its re-interpretation of historical events during the communist insurgency. His previous column in NST, started in 1987 was similarly terminated in 1999 as the general election was drawing near.

Zainah Anwar is the Executive Director of the Sisters in Islam (SIS), one of the women's rights group under the Article 11 coalition. The group was heavily criticized by members of ruling party UMNO, as well as the opposition Islamic Party (PAS) for advocating that the Constitutional right to freedom of religion be rigourously upheld.

The removal of the duo from the mainstream media is another worrying sign that freedom of expression and information are being curbed at the time when Malaysians needed more discussion and information in the run up to election.

This latest termination of the columns and the recent witch-hunt on bloggers by the government are signs that the state is moving towards a semblance of totalitarianism. It is creating fear among citizens and the government, which stands to lose the people's support by violating the rights to freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution. We ask the government to stop curbing freedom of expression and to encourage plurality of sources of information.

We further ask NST to reinstate the columns of the two popular writers to uphold objectivity and balance in journalism.

The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) is a media organization that aims to improve current Malaysian journalism practice and independence through advocacy, research and analysis, training and practical work. Started in 2001, CIJ has initiated various projects in developing grassroots communications skills through training, infrastructural support and direct action.

Ends

Issued by

Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director

For more information, please contact Wai Fong at 03 40230772

Antara Haram, Diskusi dan Menghalalkan

Sebuah artikel yang sangat baik ditulis oleh Shahnon Shah. Saya baharu sedar kita orang Malaysia cepat menggelabah. Selepas ini wahai para pegawai kerajaan, nyanyilah "Negaraku" dengan penuh bersemangat...

For art's sake, ban the ban

Shanon Shah

If it didn't have such grave implications, I'd actually be quite amused at the stock response of some Malaysians towards anything that is deemed offensive or sensitive: "Just ban it." What a catchy adaptation of the tagline made famous by a global sporting brand. Proof of the unexpected ways in which peoples and communities are getting more globalised, I'm sure.

In this case, I am referring specifically to the indignant responses to the Negarakuku rap music video posted on YouTube by a Taiwan-based Malaysian student. There is talk of extraditing this guy and punishing him in no uncertain terms. Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) went so far as to call on the government to amend laws so that action could be taken against Malaysians abroad for "committing any form of offences that could jeopardise the security and dignity of the country".

A 24-year-old Malaysian student puts out a low-budget video and posts it on YouTube, and he is jeopardising the security and dignity of our entire country? Are we seriously that fragile as a nation?

Before I continue, I think it is important to establish that we are talking about two unrelated issues: firstly, was this guy being unpatriotic, and secondly, if he was, then does this mean he should be punished or banned?

These are two different questions and it is dangerous to conflate them and assume that the answer to one automatically dictates the answer to the other.

To address the issue of to ban or not to ban, let me clarify that I've seen the video - although not the complete version because broadband connectivity being what it is in this country, I can't even get through one quarter of it before it stops - and yes, it offends me. I spoke to a friend - a non-Muslim, Malaysian Chinese - who said that he found the video disturbing and offensive to his sensibilities too.

But then I asked him, "Do you think we should take action against him?" He answered categorically, "No". He then asked me if I thought we should take any action. I, too, answered "No".

Let me provide an example to illustrate my reasoning. Throughout the glorious history of Islam, intelligent and influential Muslims have created works that offended other intelligent and influential Muslims.

Take the revered Baghdad-based Muslim mystic and thinker Al-Ghazali (d.1111 CE). So incensed was he by the philosophical works of Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina (two other revered Muslim philosophers who preceded Al-Ghazali) that he wrote an entire treatise attacking their ideas. Al-Ghazali titled his work, quite unapologetically, Tahafut al-Falasifah (The Incoherence of the Philosophers).

And yet, within less than a century in the celebrated Islamic intellectual centre of Al-Andalus (that's Spain to you modern folk), another renowned Muslim thinker, Ibn Rushd (d.1198), wrote an entire rebuttal of Al-Ghazali's refutation. Ibn Rushd cheekily titled his rebuttal Tahafut al-Tahafut (The Incoherence of the Incoherent).

These four Muslim thinkers - Ibn Sina, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali and Ibn Rushd - are universally respected as heroes in classical Islamic thought. All their works - including Tahafut al-Falasifah and Tahafut al-Tahafut - are considered classics in debates on the roles of philosophy, theology and spirituality in Islam.

Imagine if, instead of writing Tahafut al-Falasifah, Al-Ghazali had just called for a ban on the writings of Ibn Sina and Al-Farabi. How poor would the treasury of Islamic wisdom be now if that had happened?

I know there are some who will say, "Yes, but they were already renowned thinkers when they wrote their works. This rapper fellow is just a 24-year-old whippersnapper. What does he know?" What indeed does he know?

See, it is my belief that there is another layer to this entire scenario that we haven't begun to address yet, and it is about the nature of art and its place in society. What is art, really, and who exactly is an artist?

For example, 10 rolls of toilet paper do not an artwork maketh. But if a 15-year-old student then procures 10 rolls of toilet paper and fashions something out of them for her art project, who am I to say that it isn't art? I might find it hideous and ridiculous, but surely that's no reason to ban her 10 rolls of toilet paper. More importantly, she might be saying something important that might spur other artists to say even more important things - perhaps with sanitary pads, or locks of human hair, or even a rap song.

"But he insulted the national anthem," some will say. "You can't use art as an excuse to be unpatriotic." In my opinion, the definition of patriotism evolves all the time based on current socio-political developments and also by public debate. And I can't stress this enough.

It's really up for debate. Let everyone put their cases forward. Either through reviews, public criticisms or, you guessed it, through more art. I'm not defining patriotism here, but I am suggesting a framework for coming up with a means of making the concept of patriotism meaningful and accessible to all citizens.

But sentiment is often more powerful than reason. Sometimes certain works of art can and do provoke a violent response in the audience. Of a novel by Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini, Dorothy Parker said, "This is not a book to be cast aside lightly. It should be hurled with great force."

In early 2006, many Muslims around the world were outraged by the publication of several cartoons in Denmark that insulted the Prophet Muhammad. Some Muslims went so far as to react very violently to express their anger.

In good old Melbourne in 1997 (while I was studying two blocks away at RMIT University), two young boys smuggled a sledgehammer into the National Gallery of Victoria and smashed Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" artwork. Of course, I find the Danish cartoons and "Piss Christ" troubling, but I find the violent responses to them even more troubling.

Nevertheless, I must admit that I somewhat understand the motivations behind these responses. After all, I myself have felt like vandalising all promotional posters of big-budget Malaysian plays I have seen that were racist, sexist, and a complete waste of my time and money.

However, it is wise at this point to remember the words of Voltaire, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." And personally, I also find it useful at times like this to go back to the noble Quran, which tells me not to ban people or arguments I disagree with, but to position my own counter-arguments "with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and reason with them in the best way possible"" (Surah An-Nahl, verse 125).

Shanon Shah is a singer-songwriter and playwright who won first prize at the 2001 ICOM New Millennium Patriotic Songwriting Competition. He believes that if you hate a piece of art, the best thing you can do is to give it to someone you don't like.