Filed under: Astro Awani, broadcast, directing, documentary, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Remember ‘In the Heat of Battle: The Story of Lembah Pantai‘ which I did during the campaign and election period last week on AstroAwani.Com? Well, the TV version is all done – it’s a 4-episode mini series starting tonight (Wednesday, 15th May 2013), every night until Sunday (19th May 2013), at 9:30pm, on 501 Astro AWANI!
The entire 2-week campaign and election period condensed into 4 episodes of TV time… it doesn’t get better than that! It’s like being there without being there yourself! Hahaha!
Filed under: Astro Awani, broadcast, directing, documentary, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, malaysian spring, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 9 – ‘A Malaysian Spring’ and ‘Report Card Day’ – you make the choice!
The second half of the campaign season started with a bang. On one side, the huge campaign machinery went into full gear and came up with an event fueled by much fanfare, while the other side relied on community-based people power.
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: Astro Awani, directing, documentary, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, taxi, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 8 – Taxi!
While on the Lembah Pantai campaign trail, I bumped into two taxi drivers, James Sundram and Navanathan, who offered to tell me their story over coffee in a stall in Lucky Garden, Bangsar. Apparently, things still aren’t as hunky dory as it seems even after 1,000 individual taxi permits have been issued by the government.
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: Astro Awani, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, ceramah, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 7 – The roaming carnies!
Ceramahs are lively events, almost like a carnival or a fun fair. You get to wander around all kinds of stalls selling all kinds of things, from traditional medicine (yes, just like in P.Ramlee’s movies!) to food.
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: Astro Awani, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Can campaign style determine a winner?
By Zan Azlee
APRIL 26 — It’s a week into the official campaign period and following the candidates around their constituencies has started to take its toll on me.
My beautiful Converse shoes are now caked in mud and fishy water due to walking in pasar malams, and not to mention the fields during ceramah nights.
I’ve also had to avoid rotten eggs being thrown from fanatic party supporters and have had to endure threats from local party leaders.
And I might have some hearing damage due to the unsporting behaviour of other supporters who play loud patriotic music during an opposition candidate’s ceramahs.
Aside from that, it’s been a blast!
One thing that struck me is the unique way different politicians have when it comes to campaigning. It’s almost like auteurship. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: Astro Awani, directing, documentary, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, campaign, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 6 – Who has a more winnable campaign style?
Part 6 – Who has a more winnable campaign style?
Zan Azlee compares the campaigning style of Nurul Izzah Anwar and Datuk Raja Nong Chick Zainal Abidin. Whose do you prefer?
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: Astro Awani, directing, documentary, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 5 – The other side of the highway
In part 5, I follow the candidates as they cross the highway into the ghettos of Lembah Pantai to campaign!
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: Astro Awani, broadcast, directing, documentary, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: Keadilan, general election, malaysia, zan azlee, fat bidin, documentary, news, 1malaysia, muslim, web video, malay, media, solo journalism, video journalism, interview, new media, journalism, kuala lumpur, pakatan rakyat, umno, barisan nasional, lembah pantai, raja nong chik, nurul izzah, BN, PR, pru13, ge13, vote, voters, bangsar, datuk saifuddin abdullah, phantom voters, pengundi hantu
Part 4 – Hantu Rahimah Balik Rumah!
In part 4, I stumble upon a group of ‘phantom voters’ in Lembah Pantai. They spooked the hell out of me!
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: documentary, directing, broadcast, writing, new media, internet, video blog, journalism, Astro Awani, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai | Tags: Keadilan, general election, malaysia, zan azlee, fat bidin, documentary, news, 1malaysia, muslim, web video, malay, media, solo journalism, video journalism, interview, new media, journalism, kuala lumpur, pakatan rakyat, umno, barisan nasional, lembah pantai, raja nong chik, nurul izzah, BN, PR, pru13, ge13, vote, voters, bangsar, datuk saifuddin abdullah
Part 3 – It’s a three-cornered fight!
Part three of my multimedia project on AstroAWANI.Com is now live online! I follow the nomination day closely like it’s a cancerous tahi lalat on the back of my neck!! Nurul Izzah, Datuk Raja Nong Chik and Rusli Baba all three talk about their ‘message’! Hmm…
Click to hear to view/read/watch/listen/smell the full story!
Filed under: documentary, directing, broadcast, writing, new media, internet, video blog, journalism, Astro Awani, In The Heat Of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, datuk saifuddin abdullah, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 2 – Oh my! Just listen to our first world problems!
Lembah Pantai has a very diverse population, most noticeably is the income level. You have the low-income group on one side of the highway, and the high-income group on the other side.
For the candidates in Lembah Pantai, trying to bridge the gap between these two groups can be very challenging indeed because it is obvious that the two groups have different priorities when it comes to election issues.
In the upper class neighbourhood of Bangsar, which also has a more cosmopolitan population, the locals tend to harp on more global issues such as human rights, racial-based politics and freedom of speech.
And this can be seen in the video above of a forum organised by Bangsar locals titled ‘Is Progressive Politics Possible in Contemporary Malaysia?’, which was participated by Pakatan Rakyat’s former Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Barisan Nasional’s former Temerloh MP, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
[Click to experience the full story at English.AstroAwani.Com]
*Log on to English.AstroAwani.Com as much as you can this GE13 period to see Zan Azlee’s regular multimedia presentation of ‘In the Heat of Battle: The story of Lembah Pantai’. Zan is spearheading Astro AWANI’s pioneer team of Solo-Journalists.
Filed under: documentary, directing, broadcast, writing, new media, internet, video blog, journalism, Astro Awani | Tags: 1malaysia, bangsar, barisan nasional, BN, documentary, fat bidin, ge13, general election, interview, journalism, Keadilan, kuala lumpur, lembah pantai, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, nurul izzah, pakatan rakyat, PR, pru13, raja nong chik, solo journalism, umno, video journalism, vote, voters, web video, zan azlee
Part 1 – Sup kambing satu!
The 13th General Election period has begun. And throughout the campaigning period, I will be focusing on the federal constituency of Lembah Pantai, which I feel is a nice sample of Malaysia and of the General Election.
There are the high profile candidates, the rich and powerful elite class, the middle class, the hard working class, all of the major races, long time locals and also the migrants from other parts of the country that have made this area their home.
Filed under: Afghanistan, Astro Awani, broadcast, documentary, internet, journalism, new media, writing | Tags: astro, awani, documentary, fat bidin, journalism, malaysia, media, new media, news, solo journalism, video journalism, web video, zan azlee
The age of the new journalist
By Zan Azlee
In my slightly over a decade period as a professional journalist, I see myself as lucky having gone through both the traditional and the new journalism era. I also consider myself lucky to have gained experience in all forms of journalism media, from print to broadcast and also online.
And even luckier, to have been a part of large media organisations and also running as a one man freelance and entrepreneurial journalist. All this definitely gives me (or at least I think it gives me) some weight when it comes to commenting on and even practicing journalism.
Before you all start dissing me about being self-gloating and self-righteous, just here me out. At the end of the day, I’m writing this column and not you! (I kid! I kid!) Jokes aside, I feel very passionate about journalism and the media and want nothing more than to see it thrive and see more and more people get in to it in Malaysia.
So it really pains me when I see young journalists (and many old ones too) these days who don’t want to give themselves a chance to experience and learn new things. Here’s a tip – I hear working in a bank offers good employee benefits! [Click to read the rest of article at English.AstroAwani.Com]
Filed under: Arab Spring, broadcast, directing, documentary, film, internet, journalism, new media, video blog | Tags: 501 awani, arab spring, astro, astro awani, conflict, documentary, egypt, fat bidin, ikhwan, in focus, journalism, malaysia, media, middle east, morsi, muslim brotherhood, new media, news, solo journalism, tahrir square, tunisia, video journalism, war, web video, zan azlee
If you missed the first episode of IN FOCUS, which was on Astro AWANI 501, then you’re in luck! You get to watch it on NJOI AWANI’s YouTube page over and over and over and over and over again! The first episode sees me checking out how the street protest industry works in Egypt in Tunisia!
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, film, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, 501 awani, astro, awani, ceritalah, documentary, fat bidin, interview, journalism, karim raslan, malay, malaysia, media, new media, video journalism, web video, zan azlee
Ceritalah Malaysia is the TV version of Karim Raslan’s long running newspaper column and book series where he travels the country speaking to ordinary Malaysians to get a sense of the true Malaysia. I used to read Karim’s writings more than ten years ago when I first started writing myself (funnily.. I haven’t read his stuff in quite a while now! muahaha!). But now we’re working together… and it’s pretty cool!
Produced by Zan Azlee and Karim Raslan for Astro AWANI (501). Every Monday nights, starting tonight, at 9:30pm (with repeats throughout the week).
Filed under: broadcast, internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: broadcast, fat bidin, journalism, malaysia, media, new media, news, solo journalism, television, The Malaysian Insider, video journalism, zan azlee
Television news sucks!
By Zan Azlee
JAN 4 — Yes, it sucks big time and those involved in it have put themselves too high on a pedestal to realise this. Newspapers globally are already in a crisis (except for The Star, whose circulation is mysteriously increasing!). Television news seems to have the potential of heading the same way too and is slowly losing viewers, if it does not heed my all-important advice.
I wonder if anyone agrees with me that watching news on television has really been uninspiring these last few years? I don’t think I have to wonder. To be honest, I’ve actually stopped watching television news altogether. I get my news fix almost solely from online sources now and I know so many people who do the same.
I feel very strongly that television news should just stop trying to compete in breaking news. Just outright cease and desist. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: Arab Spring, broadcast, directing, documentary, internet, journalism, new media, video blog | Tags: 501 awani, arab spring, astro, astro awani, conflict, documentary, egypt, fat bidin, ikhwan, in focus, journalism, malaysia, media, middle east, morsi, muslim brotherhood, new media, news, solo journalism, tahrir square, tunisia, video journalism, war, web video, zan azlee
Come the new year of 2013… I am producing and hosting a new documentary series called IN FOCUS every Tuesday nights at 8:30pm on Astro AWANI (501). It covers current and social affairs, local and international. Expect all the awesomeness, machoness and coolness of Zan Azlee… and others too, of course!
The first three episodes is all about the Arab Spring after two years have gone by. I go to Egypt and Tunisia (and cancelled Syria… not macho enough lah!). So don’t forget to watch the premiere first episode of IN FOCUS this Tuesday (1st January 2013), 8:30pm, on Astro AWANI (501)!
Filed under: Afghanistan, Arab Spring, broadcast, directing, documentary, DVD, film, GUIDE TO AFGHANISTAN: The Adventures of a KL-ite, I'm Muslim Too!, internet, journalism, lomokino, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, afghanistan, askar, bamiyan, bersih, city, conflict, documentary, fat bidin, film, insurgency, islam, journalism, kabul, kuala lumpur, lim chee wee, malay, malaysia, media, middle east, military, muslim, new media, ridhuan tee, solo journalism, taliban, terrorism, The Malaysian Insider, video journalism, war, zan azlee
2012 according to Google
By Zan Azlee
DEC 28 ― The year is coming to an end and it is time to look back and reflect upon the momentous events of the passing year. I thought it would be a good idea to look back at 2012’s top ten searches on Google… and that led to my website, Fatbidin.com!
10. Ridhuan Tee Abdullah
Number ten could be one that has given me the most pleasure this year. I disagree with everything this academician, TV host and writer ― whose real name is Tee Chuan Seng ― says. We had a brief heated exchange in our respective columns (his is in Sinar Harian), from which I emerged victorious.
9. Kabul
Being the gloriously brave war journalist and adrenaline junkie that I am, I went to Afghanistan to shoot a documentary. After a decade of war and after the Taliban, it’s quite a surprise that the country is still getting media coverage.
8. Bersih 3.0
This has to be one of the lowest points of the year. I witnessed things that I don’t ever want to witness in Malaysia again. The police were brutally attacking demonstrators and even journalists like a bunch of street thugs ― after they removed their nametags, of course. But the spirit of Malaysians that gathered, now that was a high point.
[Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, film, journalism, video blog | Tags: 1malaysia, astro, awani, bapa malaysia, documentary, fat bidin, film, hari malaysia, journalism, malay, malaysia, malaysia day, media, tunku, tunku abdul rahman, video journalism, zan azlee
I co-produced/directed a documentary on Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, for Malaysia Day with Noor Azam Shairi, an old Kelab Seni Filem buddy who is also now my colleague. The documentary, titled TUNKU, airs today (16 September 2012) at 6:30pm on ASTRO Awani (501). (Click here or the image above to watch the promo)
Repeats will be on:
Monday 17 Sept – 11am
Tuesday 18 Sept – 3:30pm
Thursday 20 Sept – 2:30am
Friday 21 Sept – 11:30am
Saturday 22 Sept – 5pm
It is the iznit of the izzle in the golden drizzle!
Filed under: broadcast, film, GUIDE TO AFGHANISTAN: The Adventures of a KL-ite, internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, video blog, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, ad, aidilfitri, amputee, bernas, commercial, documentary, eid, fat bidin, hari raya, journalism, malay, malaysia, mubarak, new media, petronas, The Malaysian Insider, video journalism, web video, yasmin ahmad, zan azlee
Irritating Hari Raya TV ads!
By Zan Azlee
AUG 17 — Have any of you seen the latest batch of Hari Raya television commercials yet? I don’t know about you but I’m getting pretty annoyed and irritated by them. It seems to me that they are all competing with each other to see who can make Malaysians cry the most… no matter what the cost! It’s like the end justifies the means or something. The worst this year has to be the one by Bernas.
It starts out at a boarding school or orphanage of some sort where a lot of young children are about to leave for the Hari Raya holidays. Everyone of them has family members coming to pick them up except for these two boys. One is speech-impaired and the other is blind.
The speech-impaired boy tells the blind boy about his mother in the village. So the blind boy suggests they ditch the school/orphanage and find their way to the village. They go through all kinds of challenges that would make me, a grown man in my 30s, give up on life. But, of course, these boys persevere. When they do reach the village, guess what? The speech-impaired boy’s mother is dead! They are there to visit a grave and he tells the blind boy that they can share a mother!
Well, cut my chest open, tear my heart out, throw it on the ground, stomp on it a few times, pick it back up, put out some cigarettes on it and shove it back in! What will they do next year to top off this year’s TV commercial? Film a quadruple amputee rolling on the ground and flash the words “Selamat Hari Raya” on screen? [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, internet, journalism, metropolis, new media, video blog | Tags: boot camp, documentary, dutch, fat, fat bidin, film, gemuk, interview, journalism, kuala lumpur, malaysia, metropolis, netherlands, obesity, overweight, video journalism, vpro, web video, zan azlee
A couple of months ago, I did a report for Dutch TV’s VPRO Metropolis programme about obesity in Malaysia. It finally went on air in The Netherlands and is available to view online. I shed quite a lot of sweat following these… err… big-boned… participants as they shed the kilos! Click here to view the video or on the image above.
