Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, corruption, cronyism, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, ops lalang, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, sedition, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, umno, vote, voters, zan azlee
Will we stagnate with the status quo?
By Zan Azlee
JUNE 7 — During the election period last month, I was pretty adamant about wanting to see change, whether it be a change in government, or at least a change in governance.
I had many discussions, conversations and even debates with fellow journalism colleagues, friends and family about this. One of the conversations I had was about how if the federal government were to change, or even if certain ministers or MPs were to lose, what effect it would have.
Say, for example, if a local businessman was awarded a project by the local MP because they were friends or acquaintances. What would happen then if that MP lost during the election and the opposing party took power in that area? Would that local businessman lose business? [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, ops lalang, pakatan rakyat, police, PR, pru13, sedition, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, umno, vote, voters, zan azlee
From excitement to fatigue
By Zan Azlee
MAY 31 – Last week, I had lunch with my friend, Liew Seng Tat, a famous award-winning Malaysian film director of Chinese descent. If you haven’t heard of him, then you know zilch about film. Seng Tat is very politically active. He’s not a politician, he’s just one of the many young Malaysians who have had a heightened sense of political awareness due to developments in the country.
He was at all three BERSIH demonstrations and was even beaten up and arrested during the second one (Remember the famous assault on Tong Shin Hospital? He was in the carpark.). He attends a lot of ceramahs and talks, candle light vigils, protests and even became a PACABA volunteer during the recent GE. And of course there are the Black 505 rallies.
He even sends me all kinds of SMSes, Facebook links and e-mails about politics, the government, news of corruption and human rights abuse, etc. But when I met him for lunch a few days ago at Mahbub in Lucky Gardens, Bangsar, his mood and level of enthusiasm was a stark difference than before. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, ops lalang, pakatan rakyat, police, PR, pru13, sedition, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, umno, vote, voters, zan azlee
I’m afraid, really afraid!
By Zan Azlee
MAY 24 — I’m going to be honest and say outright that I’m afraid of the recent turn of events in our country, with the numerous arrests being made and copies of newspapers being confiscated But it’s a complicated situation that everything is in right now. And I am seriously tired of all these complicated situations that we’ve been in since the election.
Yes, the election has come and gone. And yes, Barisan Nasional (BN) won and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lost. It’s the worst faring by BN and the best by PR. BN was quick to swear in their prime minister, while PR was quick to declare the election process being a fraud and not recognise the results.
And since they won the popular vote, PR leaders started organising rallies all around the country, knowing full well that the turnout would be huge. Yada yada yada. And that’s when all hell broke loose in the BN camp. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: Astro Awani, internet, journalism, new media, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, demonstration, fat bidin, ganyang, ge13, general election, indonesia, interview, jakarta, joko widodo, journalism, Keadilan, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, riot, solo journalism, umno, violence, vote, voters, wiji thukul, zan azlee
Lu lagi, lu lagi!
By Zan Azlee
Last week, I was in Jakarta on a working trip. The work was mainly corporate in nature, of which is very unfamiliar terrain for me. But it’s good to explore new things once in a while. Of course, being a highly intuitive journalist (oh yeah!), I decided to look around for stories that I could tell back home in Malaysia. Hence, the topic for this week’s column.
Malaysia has just concluded it’s 13th General Election and I was still in the mood for all things political. So I decided to check out what was brewing in Indonesia. The love-hate relationship that we have with our distant cousin nation (really more of like a direct irritating sibling, I have to say!), has always interested me.
However, I have to admit that their brand of politics isn’t very familiar to me. Maybe it’s because they’re a more sophisticated republic and have had several revolutions that it surpasses my understanding. [Go to English.AstroAwani.Com to read the full article]
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, umno, utusan, vote, voters, zan azlee
Serve all races
By Zan Azlee
MAY 17 — Yesterday, I got back from a working trip to Jakarta and in the taxi from KLIA, the driver started chatting with me about the recent general election. And just for context, the driver is Malay and looked to be middle-aged. I’m guessing around 50 years of age.
At one point, he said to me: “Tengok Kabinet baru yang Perdana Menteri sudah lantik. Langsung tidak ada wakil orang Cina. Biar padan muka mereka. Cina sekarang dah banyak songeh!”
At first, I wanted to blurt out and say that he needs to be certain who he’s talking to. I may look Malay, and I may sound Malay, but I am in fact Chinese (part of me, that is!).
Then I would have continued to condemn him and his racist ways and, hopefully put him in his place and educate him a little about the ways of harmonious living.
But I immediately caught myself before I did anything drastic. And I think it paid off quite well judging from the taxi driver’s reaction. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: Astro Awani, internet, journalism, new media, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, demonstration, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, riot, solo journalism, umno, utusan, violence, vote, voters, zan azlee
The ‘Good vs Evil’ trap
By Zan Azlee
I disagree with the interviewees (forum panelists) in an article published in the Free Malaysia Today website on 14th May 2013 which called for the people to take to the streets and topple the BN government.
In a brief overview, the article quoted three panelists at a forum, Haris Ibrahim (ABU – Anything But Umno), Adam Adli Halim (student activist) and Hishammuddin Rais (Bersih) calling for the rakyat to take to the streets and topple the government.
Apparently, another five years is just too long to wait to vote Barisan Nasional out of the federal office, and according to these three individuals, we have to take it by force.
Here’s the deal. I think they’re on their own. [Click to read the full article at English.AstroAwani.Com]
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, umno, utusan, vote, voters, zan azlee
The race factor
By Zan Azlee
MAY 10 — The race factor definitely played a role in the voter swing in the recent GE13. No doubt about it. So when Umno-owned newspaper Utusan published the front-page story “Apa lagi Cina mahu?” last Tuesday in response to the voter swing, it couldn’t have been a surprise.
Barisan Nasional consists of many component parties and most of these parties (if not all of them) are all race-based. And, of course, the three main parties that make up the coalition are Umno (Malay), the MCA (Chinese) and MIC (Indian).
The logic to it is that Umno will attract the Malay voters, the MCA will attract the Chinese and MIC, the Indians. Hence, they should have it all covered in Malaysia.
Then we look at Pakatan Rakyat, who is constantly preaching multiracial politics, claiming that they aren’t race-based. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: Astro Awani, internet, journalism, new media, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, chinese, cina, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, ridhuan tee, solo journalism, umno, utusan, vote, voters, zan azlee
‘Apa lagi Ridhuan Tee mahu?’
By Zan Azlee
This debacle with the headline written by the Utusan newspaper last Tuesday has got me thinking – which side is Ridhuan Tee on regarding this matter?
Okay, for those who are oblivious ignoramuses, Utusan published the very irrational and racist sounding headline which read ‘Apa lagi Cina mahu?’ last Tuesday.
Then page after page carried articles that talked about how the Chinese were being racists by voting for other than Barisan Nasional. What is this Umno-owned newspaper trying to do? Create disharmony and spark an upheaval of the people?
Come on! They already won the election. What else do they want? (Did you see what I just did there? Haha!) Sure, they did win. But it is the worst showing the coalition has ever received in its entire 56 years of rule in the country. [Click to read the full article at English.AstroAwani.Com]
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, DVD, e-store, film, internet, journalism, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), new media, video blog | Tags: askar, broadcast, chinese, city, customs, directing, documentary, fat bidin, fatbidin.tv, film, history, internet, jinjang, journalism, kampung, kampung baru, kampung baru alaf baru, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), kuala lumpur, liew seng tat, malay, malaysia, media, military, nasi lemak, nasi lemak antarabangsa, new age new village, new media, ntv7, pantang, projek angkat rumah, traditions, video blog, zan azlee
FAT BIDIN PRESENTS… KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE)
Part 8 of 8 (Conclusion)
Multiracial or not… we will survive… together!
Short synopsis: Kampung Baru is a traditional Malay village situated in the heart of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. Traditional Malay houses are surrounded by huge concrete and steel skyscrapers that provide a juxtaposition of modern urbanisation and customs and tradition. Zan talks to several individuals who have close ties with Kampung Baru to try and capture the essence of the village.
Click here to watch all the episodes.
KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU was screened on ntv7 in conjunction with the 2010 Merdeka celebrations. Visit the FAT BIDIN E-STORE to buy the DVD and own it for yourself!
Don’t forget to join the FAT BIDIN FACEBOOK PAGE for more life-changing experiences!
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, DVD, film, internet, journalism, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), new media, video blog | Tags: askar, broadcast, chinese, city, customs, directing, documentary, fat bidin, fatbidin.tv, film, history, internet, jinjang, journalism, kampung, kampung baru, kampung baru alaf baru, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), kuala lumpur, liew seng tat, malay, malaysia, media, military, nasi lemak, nasi lemak antarabangsa, new age new village, new media, ntv7, pantang, projek angkat rumah, traditions, video blog, zan azlee
FAT BIDIN PRESENTS… KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE)
Part 7 of 8
Racial harmony? Not anymore!
Short synopsis: Kampung Baru is a traditional Malay village situated in the heart of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. Traditional Malay houses are surrounded by huge concrete and steel skyscrapers that provide a juxtaposition of modern urbanisation and customs and tradition. Zan talks to several individuals who have close ties with Kampung Baru to try and capture the essence of the village.
Click here to watch all the episodes.
KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU was screened on ntv7 in conjunction with the 2010 Merdeka celebrations. Visit the FAT BIDIN E-STORE to buy the DVD and own it for yourself!
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, DVD, film, internet, journalism, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), new media, video blog | Tags: askar, broadcast, chinese, city, customs, directing, documentary, fat bidin, fatbidin.tv, film, history, internet, jinjang, journalism, kampung, kampung baru, kampung baru alaf baru, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), kuala lumpur, liew seng tat, malay, malaysia, media, military, nasi lemak, nasi lemak antarabangsa, new age new village, new media, ntv7, pantang, projek angkat rumah, traditions, video blog, zan azlee
FAT BIDIN PRESENTS… KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE)
Part 6 of 8
Malays, Chinese, Indians and whomever… let’s divide them!
Short synopsis: Kampung Baru is a traditional Malay village situated in the heart of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. Traditional Malay houses are surrounded by huge concrete and steel skyscrapers that provide a juxtaposition of modern urbanisation and customs and tradition. Zan talks to several individuals who have close ties with Kampung Baru to try and capture the essence of the village.
Click here to watch all the episodes.
KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU was screened on ntv7 in conjunction with the 2010 Merdeka celebrations. Visit the FAT BIDIN E-STORE to buy the DVD and own it for yourself!
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: bbc, cbeebies, chinese, fat bidin, indian, journalism, malay, malaysia, media, multiculturalism, new media, orang asli, punjabi, racism, The Malaysian Insider, zan azlee
Atheena watching CBeebies
I love CBeebies! I really really do!
Learning multiculturalism from television
By Zan Azlee
AUG 26 — Ever since the arrival of little Athena, the television at home has been dominated by baby and children’s programmes. And one of our favourites is BBC’s CBeebies. It’s a blessing when you just need some quiet time and you can plonk the little pooper in front of the television for 20 minutes.
My wife and I find it way better than the Disney Channel since it doesn’t mind numb kids into wanting to be princesses or buy expensive toys. But that discussion will be for another week. So we were watching CBeebies one afternoon together with Athena and I noticed how the BBC tried very much to be inclusive of all the communities in Britain.
They had TV presenters who were of all colours, from white to black, and even brown. It was very inclusive indeed. The kids who came on were of different cultures too. From very pale looking, blonde Scottish girls to brown and tanned, hair-in-a-bun Punjabi boys!
And the best thing is that none of the programmes that featured this multiracial cast ever made any reference to race and ethnicity. Everything just went on as usual as if all these races really existed and interacted with each other on a natural level in the country (which, of course, they do!).
Now that’s exactly what I want Athena to learn – to recognise that there are many different cultures and ethnicities around us, and not make a big deal out of it. [Click here to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, fatbidin.tv, film, internet, journalism, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), new media, video blog | Tags: chinese, city, customs, fat bidin, fatbidin.tv, history, jinjang, journalism, kampung, kampung baru, kampung baru alaf baru, kuala lumpur, liew seng tat, malay, malaysia, media, nasi lemak, nasi lemak antarabangsa, new age new village, ntv7, pantang, projek angkat rumah, traditions, zan azlee
My film KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE) was recently repeated on ntv7 (I’m sure due to popular demand!) after its original broadcast during August/September last year. And what a miraculous coincidence that I’m also serialising it on FATBIDIN.TV!!!
FAT BIDIN PRESENTS…
KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE)
Part 3 of 8
Would you ever marry a strange man who followed you home from Chow Kit?
Norisah Abu Bakar - KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE)
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, fatbidin.tv, film, internet, journalism, Kampung Baru Alaf Baru (AKA: New Age New Village), new media, writing | Tags: chinese, city, customs, fat bidin, fatbidin.tv, history, jinjang, journalism, kampung, kampung baru, kampung baru alaf baru, kuala lumpur, liew seng tat, malay, malaysia, media, nasi lemak, nasi lemak antarabangsa, new age new village, ntv7, pantang, projek angkat rumah, traditions, zan azlee
Dayummm!!! I’m amazed at the momentum I’m keeping with the episode updates on FATBIDIN.TV!! Woohoo!!
Go there now to watch the latest episode!
FAT BIDIN PRESENTS…
KAMPUNG BARU ALAF BARU (NEW AGE NEW VILLAGE)
Part 2 of 8
You’re not supposed to touch the ground once you’ve given birth or you will be cursed!
On a seperate note… I was a guest on Tech Beat (along with Daniel Cerventus and Zurairi), a podcast by John Lim. Check it out!
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: chinese, exam, fat bidin, islam, journalism, malay, malaysia, school, The Malaysian Insider, upsr, zan azlee
More of the adventures of Zain the confused kid!
Zain Azri, the confused kid – Part 2
By Zan Azlee
SEPT 24 — In the last instalment of Zain’s adventures, we left him confused about his ethnic identity. This week, we fast-forward a few years and he is now in Standard 6. This is an important year for Zain. He will be sitting for his UPSR examination. It will determine how he will move forward into secondary school. The school is feeling the pressure, and so are the students.
But Zain seems to be taking it pretty easy. He’s still playing basketball in school and going to movies. He’s still watching his favourite television shows with his mother at night and assembling radio control cars with his father in the evenings. Of course Zain doesn’t forget his homework. He still does his homework diligently but a 12-year-old kid still needs to have his fun. [Click to read the rest of the article]
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: chinese, fat bidin, islam, journalism, malay, malaysia, The Malaysian Insider, zan azlee
Poor Zain! He’s so confused. Read all about it at The Malaysian Insider.
Zain, the confused kid
By Zan Azlee
AUG 6 — Six-year-old Zain Azri was going to school for the first time. He was like any normal and chatty kid, making friends easily and loved running around for no reason. Now, Zain comes from a pretty liberal Muslim family and is of mixed parentage. His father is Malay and his mother, Chinese. If you grow up as a Muslim in Malaysia and go to public school, then most definitely you would have had to take Islamic studies. Zain had to. On the first day of class in Standard One, at a certain time period, Zain was led by an Ustazah, along with other Muslim students to a different class. [Click here to read the rest of the article]
