media freedom?

I find reading about the opinions of this man rather eye-opening and truth be told, reflects my feelings completely on media freedom.

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The Sun 24th July 2008

Freer press equals greater transparency

Deemed one of Britain's top 100 lawyers, Mark Stephens, or "Mr Media Lawyer" as he is known, is no stranger to Malaysian law and its implications on the media. He is head of media at London law firm Finers Stephens Innocent. his work includes defamation, reporting restrictions, moral rights and copyright. Stephens actively lends his support to freedom of expression and the establishment of a Freedom of Information Act in Malaysia, which he visits several times a year. Llew-Ann Phang caught up with him at a workshop he conducted, co-organised by the Bar Council and the Centre for Independent Journalism.

You’re quite familiar with the situation in Malaysia and the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984. What are your thoughts?

I’ve been concerned about the licensing of media in this country for some time. Particularly because international law, which applies in Malaysia – customary international law, that is – says that the government should not be able to use licensing where the printing presses, journalists or media companies are concerned for the purposes of restricting freedom of expression. So part of it is about getting a plurality of media because it is important to get all shapes and colours of opinion into the media. For active information to be given to society, to enable people to make informed decisions, to ascertain whether politicians are being as good as their word in relation to election promises that they have made.

All of these things make it imperative that there is a full range of opinions. Now, there will be extremes and we accept that, and most moderate people will make up their own mind, having heard both extremes, somewhere about the middle. But if you deny access to one side of the story, you skew people’s views in a modern society. It doesn’t work, because what happens is that people migrate to the blogs, the internet and to international media in order to fill that perceived vacuum in their own society. People are not stupid, they know when they’re not getting all the information.

In Malaysian society, I see people looking for that information not only in the print media but also at newsstands, and I would much prefer to see people more reliant on newspapers in Malaysia and not the internet which can be less accountable in some ways for what it says. A newspaper is there, you can see it, you know what it is, and its entire credibility stands behind the masthead, whereas bloggers tend to be a little bit more fly-by-night.

So you’re more in favour of the traditional media (print) than online media?

I support the traditional media but only in a society which has an open and diverse media – broadly owned. I mean we’ve seen the problem around the world with Rupert Murdoch owning too much media, from television to print, in a number of countries. We’ve seen it in other totalitarian regimes where all of the media is owned by the state, for example. We’ve seen it in countries which attempt to muzzle dissident views, like China or Saudi Arabia. Both of these are not conducive to the development of a harmonious society. I personally believe that one of the ways in which to deal with disharmony in society is to allow people to vent their opinions, and if they’re allowed to give voice to their opinions, then they will not resort to violence.

And indeed one of the reasons we have the European Convention on Human Rights is that it was recognised by those who lived through the Second World War that if there had been this plurality of media, if academics had had the freedom of expression during the rise of Nazism, it would have probably been snuffed out and we wouldn’t have had the war. So that’s why Europe decided to guarantee free expression and the same holds throughout the world. That’s one of the reasons we value freedom of expression so highly in countries of the world where there is a guarantee of free speech.

Has the Malaysian media arrived at that stage of freedom of expression and speech?

I don’t think so. For example the law on defamation here is based on the law that we had in England in the 1950s. It’s sort of based on pre-independence. It certainly pre-dates the new forms of media ... everything from tape recording through to the internet. Defamation is not really catered for by the laws. I mean judges have done their best to adapt the old laws, but every country in the world, virtually, has recognised the need to reform the laws on defamation in light of the modern media age.

As a consequence of the fact that we have a global media, that we live in a global information society, it is critical that we see that the laws on information and defamation in Malaysia are brought up to date and in harmony and compliance with international law. The international treaty to which Malaysia is a proud signatory should help iron out some of the tensions perceived by observers of Malaysia and indeed Malaysia’s own media and lawyers.

So we need to review our laws to keep up with the times?

Yes, that’s right. I mean many of the laws – the law on sedition for example – is an old colonial law of repression imposed by the colonial power, the British. And it’s not appropriate in a modern society and most countries of the world have thrown off the shackles of those kinds of law. And it’s important for Malaysia to do the same.

Get rid of it altogether?

Yes … there’s no country in the world now ... no civilised country that believes that anyone should go to jail for something they say and this is true internationally. For example, France has removed the possibility of criminal libel so that you can only be fined for what you say, and also many countries – Sri Lanka, Japan, India – have revoked their old criminal libel laws. Britain itself has given a parliamentary undertaking that the law, although still technically in the statute books, will never be used – and it hasn’t been.

It is important to understand that the days when people faced criminal sanctions for writing and speaking should be set to one side. No country in the world practising international law – customary international law – believes or says that journalists, newspapers or writers should be either jailed or stigmatised with criminal sanctions for what they write, what they think, or what they believe. You can be brought to account in a civil court. You can be brought to apologise and correct errors and defamation. That is accepted and it is felt that in modern society that is the appropriate response.

Perhaps it is helpful to explain what I mean by customary international law because it’s not something which is taught in law schools. Judges, very often because it’s not taught in law schools, also don’t have much experience in dealing with it. There are three ways in which we make international laws. The first is that countries make treaties with other countries – they can be bilateral law or multilateral. So many members of the United Nations sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 19 of that covenant guarantees freedom of expression.

Malaysia is a signatory to that covenant. We also have statements of law and good practice issued by inter-governmental bodies like the World Bank and develop-ment banks around the world. We get them from UN bodies as well, but none of these statements are binding in national law unless they are adopted by local legislation or in some way the government says "we will abide by this particular standard".

Merely (setting) a standard to which they aspire to is insufficient. There are some standards which become universal because so many people in so many countries have agreed to a basic minimum standard. It crystallises into what we call customary international law and there is now such a body of law. So many countries have signed up to Article 19 or its equivalent in the European Convention or the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights, that it becomes a universal standard and applies to us because we are members of planet Earth, not because we are members of a nation. And at that point, it becomes part of the domestic law of every state and so customary international law is part of Malaysian law, just as it is part of the law in the UK or Saudi Arabia.

Are we far behind in abiding by customary international law?

That’s a very good question! The answer is that it varies, depending on what you’re looking at. There’s no doubt that Malaysia and Malaysian standards are changing. We look at responsible journalism as a defence – the so called Reynold’s Defence – which has been pleaded on a number of occasions in Malaysia. It’s been accepted that decisions of the House of Lords on this subject are good and I think rightly so, as is the case with many other Commonwealth countries.

I observe a pressure, a modernising influence within the Malaysian society to encourage a more open approach to media, an ability to criticise public figures more than has perhaps been customarily accepted as appropriate. And that, I think, is partly cultural and partly a natural conservatism within society and the legal profession, and every country has that same sort of conservatism. I see that change occurring and a pressure for that change in Malaysia and I welcome it. It’s a good thing for Malaysia and I think Malaysians would welcome it.

So the pressure should be kept up?

Certainly. I think Malaysia will feel the pressure from outside – the international community, particularly through the UN (which) will look to Malaysia to ensure that it raises its game in terms of free expression. I expect that the next time Malaysia is asked to make a country report to the UN on the state of human rights, and particularly on freedom of expression in Malaysia, it will be asked some fairly sharp and pointed questions about some of its older and more anachronistic laws. I hope by the time they come to make that report, they are in a position to proudly say we are at an international standard acceptable to all.

Should the country provide for a Freedom of Information Act?

Yes, it has to. Again, this is something which is developing internationally. If you’d asked people 50 years ago, they would have said certainly not, but it’s been accepted that people undertake a better process of decision-making when subject to scrutiny. There was an American judge – I think his name was (Supreme Court Judge) Justice (Louis) Brandeis – who said "Sunlight is the best disinfectant for corruption", and what he meant was that the media, being able to access information, would be a disinfectant for corruption.

A Freedom of Information Act reassures the people that those who rule them are not above reproach. It also allows them to see that the rights and interests of the various groups are protected – for example, that the indigenous people are not disadvantaged when compared to others. That sort of thing breeds openness and transparency, and that incidentally leads to economic investment.

This is attested to by some research done by Oxford University a couple of years ago which showed a direct correlation between a free press and inward investment in society, and as a consequence of that, the World Bank now insists on guarantees of freedom of expression. Not just in the law of the society in which it is going to invest, but also on a practical basis how that is going to work.

So in simple terms such an Act allows the government to prove to the people that it is not corrupt?

Yes, it gives people the reassurance, but it is not only about corruption, it is wider than that. It’s about the fact that you can see that decisions are made fairly in the interest of all and not just one section of society.

What are your thoughts on those who say there can be freedom but not absolute freedom?

Well, I think that everyone (who) has a Freedom of Information Act has exceptions for national security. But it’s how you define national security. There are some things that are covered by national security which patently don’t need to be. For example, in the UK, the formula for making nuclear weapons is a classified Official Secret, and rightly it should be ... but the colour of the carpet at the (security service) MI5 Headquarters is also covered as an Official Secret because it covers up the embarrassment of the fool who chose an impractical colour for an office. So those kinds of things are examples of where mere embarrassment is something that one wants to protect or guard against. And if someone is exposed for having made a fairly foolish decision, they are encouraged not to make the same kind of foolish decision in the future and the quality of decision-making improves ... you hope.

You have the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) in the UK. Is it effective?

It is not particularly effective. It’s worked reasonably well for the Royal Family but outside that small circle it has not been particularly effective. It can’t impose sanctions, it can’t impose fines, and in truth what happens is that people who have a real grievance still go to court. It hasn’t ventilated the real problem and I think that is partly because it is partly run by the media to protect the media. It’s the fox guarding the chicken.

The fact that it has no sharp teeth means it is a lapdog not a watchdog, and as a consequence, that model is not to be recommended. But if you have a body which is effective, is able to resolve disputes and concerns for people who feel that they have been traduced by the media, then it is important. And one of the best ways is again a Right of Reply. We’re about to get a Right of Reply legislation in the UK. It’s not something we’ve been used to. The European Union has had it for many years and basically, it allows people who have been spoken of in poor terms in the media to write in and give their own version of events, should they wish.

The Right of Reply is an important matter for any Press Council to embrace. It is important that members of the public understand that it is a Right of Reply, it is the voice of the person who was written about in the newspapers and not the voice of the newspaper, and so very often we put it in a separate section of the newspaper to make it clear or add it as a link to the original article, if it’s online, so that people understand there is a connecting feature but it’s not something that is necessarily editorially endorsed by the paper. In the same way, when you receive a letter to the editor, you understand that it is someone’s opinion, not necessarily endorsed by the paper.

If the PCC is not an ideal model, and if Malaysia should want to set up a watchdog to regulate the media and handle complaints, what would you recommend?

The concern one has with a regulator of this kind is that it has to be independent – independent of government, independent of sectional interests, independent of the media – because otherwise, what happens in many countries is that the people appointed to run a Press Council are merely a placement for government officials and they invariably back the government in nearly all of their determination. That doesn’t do anyone any good because again, the public are not stupid. They recognise when they’re having the wool pulled over their eyes

and it’s important that any Press Complaints Commission is truly independent and is respected for its activities by those who want to use it to resolve disputes.

What is your stand on media not being owned by say, political parties?

One of the problems that you have in every country is that most newspapers (including the broadcast media) are state-owned. No doubt, some newspapers and broadcast organisations are independent, but some of them tend to support one or other of the political parties. And I think one of the problems that Malaysia has is that it is perceived – rightly or wrongly – that the print media does not represent the full spectrum of political opinions in the country, and as a consequence, people tend to move towards the internet and bloggers for alternative views.

There is a need – a crying need – for news organisations which are perceived to be able to give an alternative perspective, so that people can actually take a different view. It is difficult in an environment like Malaysia where, for example, Malaysiakini – which perhaps could be perceived to have an alternative view – has applied for a printing licence and no determination has yet been made in respect of it.

This is a matter of enormous concern because an organisation that clearly wants to introduce a different perspective hasn’t been allowed to because of the rules on licensing. That won’t benefit Malaysiakini, the government or indeed Malaysian society because people are left to read it online.

I feel that print journalism and broadcast journalism have higher standards than online journalism. That’s not to criticise Malaysiakini, which has a good track record, but merely to say that generally, it’s important for all sections of community to be allowed to have their views represented.

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Hmm...

We've got quite a long way to go haven't we, until we reach a time where the media plays out for as well as against the ruling and opposing parties equally.

Imbauan

Woah! Where did Monday go?

Time sure flies when you’re not paying attention.

I wanted to write this yesterday about this show I went on Sunday night. But well, Monday came and went. So here I am on Tuesday.

What intended to be a take-it-easy night out with my Hunnie for this show called Imbauan at Dewan Filharmonic Petronas (DFP) turned out to be a rush-to-make-it-in-time-for-the-show with my sister. So much we can plan but God decides, eh.

Last Thursday I confirmed with Hunnie to make sure his schedule would be all clear for Saturday night for the show. Truthfully, I would not have gone to this show simply because I’m not a fan of Malay songs/music but I know that my dear Hunnie is. I’ve dragged him to one too many musicals and such that I thought, Ok, I’ll sit in something that he’d prefer. Getting his ok, called up DFP, booked and paid for two tickets priced at RM30 each. Cheap! I was wondering why it’s so cheap. I didn’t read any reviews of course. Not my style. I’d prefer to just read a little synopsis and then let the show itself surprise me, good or bad.

Dinner Friday night my Hunnie dropped the bombshell, “Can’t make it Saturday night. I have to be at the Parliament. Need to meet Mr Prime Minister.” HMPH! I hate you! I do, I do. HMPH!

Well I don’t actually and I do understand. I do understand but that does not mean that I’m happy about it. Sulk! RM60 burnt on a show we’re going to miss! SULK!

Saturday evening before he’s off to Parliament, we stopped over at the DFP Box Office to purchase another set of tickets for the only other show of Imbauan on Sunday night. The only available tickets in the Stalls are at RM10. Wow! Super-cheap! Ok, get them.

This cheaper ticket is so much prettier.

Well, surprise, surprise, Hunnie cannot make it to the Sunday’s show either. Sigh… Again, blame it on Mr Prime Minister. Apparently, it’s another meeting at Subang. “Be patient okay baby”, he said apologetically. “This is something that I have to do to secure our future. It is for us. It’s not easy but I have to do it. ” Sure, sure, I’ve heard that ten thousand and one times! God! I didn’t know I have that much patience. Having being dumped like this repeatedly, I’m beginning to be emotionless about it. Ok, I lie! Hahaha… He is so going to pay and I mean literally, pay for this. I think I need a new watch and another pair of black court shoes.

At first my sis didn’t want to go since I asked her just an hour and a half before the 8.30pm show due to “unforeseen” circumstances. She said she had other plans. Then 45 minutes before the show, her plans got canceled and thus began the mad dash to KLCC.

“What show is it?” she enquired.

“Erm, some Malay symphony thingy. Malay songs in symphony and there’s a Khadijah Ibrahim who’ll be singing some songs,” I replied.

“Not MPO?”

“Nope.”

“Well, if it sucks, we’re walking out.”

“Agreed.”

Ushered and taking our seats, not 10 seconds later, the show began.

It did not suck.

We stayed the full 95 minutes of the show.

There were some tunes that I recognized - some Malay patriotic songs I don’t know what they are called and the ones that I do know are Jauh Jauh and Tanah Pusaka which I recognized from Sean Ghazi’s album. Of course when they got to the end with a medley of English songs, I sang along. Those I know! (i.e. Cilla Black’s You’re My World and Dusty Springfield’s You Don't Have To Say You Love Me.)

Aah, suddenly it hit me. No wonder the tickets were cheap. It’s not the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO). It’s the Petronas Performing Arts Group (PPAG) - totally different league all together to MPO. No wonder! I've only been to DFP for MPO shows.

Money-wise, my glass-half-full take, this show costs me not RM10 each but rather RM40 each i.e. the not-watched Saturday show of RM30 plus RM10 of the Sunday show I did get to watch. Not bad if I put it that way.

Still disappointed that Hunnie did not get to watch it. He sure would have enjoyed it.

This is what I found from The Star:

Friday July 18, 2008

Down memory lane

By AZHARIAH KAMIN

Audiences at the Imbauan concert will get to enjoy golden oldies with new arrangement.

This weekend, music lovers can check out the two-night concert entitled Imbauan, organised by Petronas Performing Arts Group (PPAG) that will be held at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP), Kuala Lumpur.

With a promise to enthral the audience with a set of spellbinding performances, the concert will feature 52 musicians under the baton of conductor Ahmad Muriz Che Rose as musical director.

With Hartini Haji Abdullah as producer, the 90-minute Imbauan will feature versatile singer Khadijah Ibrahim who will render golden oldies with new arrangements.

(From left) Conductor-cum-musical director Ahmad Muriz Che Rose, singer Khadijah Ibrahim, producer Hartini Haji Abdullah and 52 musicians will join forces for the upcoming two-night concert entitled Imbauan at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas tomorrow and on Sunday.

Featuring songs such as Cempaka Sari, Resam Dunia, Hiburkanlah Hatiku, Mas Merah, Mohon Kasih and Salam Mesra, the concert will undoubtedly take audience on a musical journey down memory lane. The songs will be rearranged by talented arrangers of the PPAG.

According to Ahmad Muriz, the team took some time to collect and select the songs for the two shows.

“In the initial compilation we had about 50 songs but we ended up selecting 12 songs with lyrical melody. For sure we want to play songs that weren’t played too often,” said Ahmad Muriz in an interview with the media last week. Also present were Khadijah and Hartini.

“During our listening session, it was just amazing how we were totally enraptured by the fine tunes, by their simplicity and how the public reacted to them then.

“Though simple, the music has some complexity to it and for us musicians, to work around it is a whole new ball game altogether and it is extremely exciting.

“Some of the songs will be performed in symphony while others will be done in rhythm and with a modern approach. So I’m really excited about Imbauan as it is about paying homage (in music) to our forefathers.

“Actually we came up with the idea to stage Imbauan sometime last year to celebrate our country’s 50th Merdeka celebration,” explained Hartini.

She added that the concert also serves as a continuation of PPAG’s other performances at DFP such as Raja Bersiong, Semerah Padi, Mek -Mulung, Kalbu and Simfoni Tradisional.

Ahmad Muriz added that all songs would be re-orchestrated by PPAG’s Syed Sharir Gaizal Syed Hussain, Mohd Yazid Zakaria, Mohd Khair Abd Latiff, Yuzaifullah Mohd Yusof, Mohd Khairul Anuar Ramly, Mohd Husin Osman, Abd Rohni Mat Noor and Mohd Rashid Dahari.

Imbauan will also feature the soothing sounds of the flute by Mohd Yazid Zakaria, gambus by Mohd Leyzam Ali and the accordian by Haji Ismail Lazim.

Versatile singer Khadijah will render Jauh-Jauh, Cemburu, Tanah Pusaka and a medley of Lagu Membawa Berita, Polinesia Mambo and Cinta Pandang Pertama. She will also perform an English medley which includes Cilla Black’s You’re My World.

“As a singer, I’m very honoured to be part of Imbauan and it is a big challenge for me to sing these songs as some of them were recorded long before I was born,” said Khadijah.

“And yes ... I have butterflies in my stomach as I’m nervous about performing the songs in Imbauan,” said Khadijah, adding that she prepares for the concert by listening to the songs repeatedly.

“But don’t expect me to imitate the original singers as I will sing in my own style, ” she added.

According to Hartini, Khadijah was selected because of her versatility.

“For us Khadijah has her own personality and she can perform all kinds of songs very well. We worked together last year during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and it gave us a lasting impression of her substantial talent and professionalism,” added Hartini.

“We have a very good 52-piece orchestra under Ahmad Muriz and with Khadijah to render some of the songs, we promise the audience a good time,” she added.

Imbauan will be staged tomorrow and Sunday at 8.30pm. Concert tickets are priced at RM35, RM30, RM20 and RM10 and can be purchased at the box office 03-20517007 or fax 03-20517077 or email at dfpboxoffice@petronas.com.my.

glass half full, much??

I had two off days unexpectedly but they were so welcomed albeit the reason for them.

I have not had a chance to take leave for the past couple of months except for medical leave which is not the same thing though it does allow you to be home, but you can’t do anything coz you’re ill. So these two days of so called “emergency leave” was nice despite the reason for them.

Thursday morning rushing at 7am to get to work before 8am, I did not look at any of my car meters especially the most important – temperature meter. But when I got out of the jam and hit the highway, only then did I glance at the meters, only to see that the temperature was at H. High! Not just higher than normal but the needle was already up on the highest peak of the red area.

At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. As I was cruising on the highway, the temperature dropped slightly and so I thought it could have been the cooling fan having problems i.e. turning off and on. But when I came out of the Smart Tunnel, my engine started making clanking sounds and the temperature went all the way up and stayed up.

Not good!

Please, please, just let me get to the office and I’ll figure something out there.

I know, I know. I should have pulled over the moment I saw the indicator on high but I was testing my luck.

Pushing my poor car approximately 5 km more, “Check Engine” indicator came on as I approached the Sungei Besi toll plaza.

Ok, ok, I surrender. I’ll stop at one of the petrol kiosks after the toll plaza.

Hah! I wish.

Slowing down and aligning myself approaching the SmartTag lane, my poor car died.

I was surprisingly calm when it happened.

There were cars passing me left and right but I just turned my hazard lights on, guided my car and parked it in front of the barrier separating the Touch-n-Go lane and the SmartTag lane.

Lots of white smoke came out of my bonnet and of course the distinctive burnt smell.

Thank God for mobile phones.

Daddy, S.O.S!

Thank God for Daddy.

It was 7.20am.

I sat in my car and made all the necessary calls while I waited for Daddy.

The Plus Ronda made their way to me 20 minutes later and parked behind me.
One guy came over while another stood behind their truck to alert oncoming traffic.
General observation: Yup, water out and oh oh, engine oil oozed out already. A not-too-good sign, he said but it could go both ways for the engine - either very bad or it could be nothing at all.
He wants to move my car from this rather dangerous location.
So, he said, we’ll cool the car down and see if it’ll start at all.
He added water to the radiator.
Woah! Look at how much steam’s generated.
Woah! Look at the water spitting and spewing out of the radiator.

COOL!

Three 1.5litres of bottled water went in.
He went into the car and ...

“Vroom”, it’s alive!

I then made my way to one of the petrol kiosks, parked and not 10 minutes later, Daddy came to my rescue.

9.30am I was back home; even managed to go get breakfast on the way home with Daddy.

Of course, Daddy did all the necessary calls to get a tow truck and sending my car to the mechanic's.

Yes, thank God for Daddy.

Mechanic report: At the bottom right-hand corner of my radiator, there is a hole, a cavity where all the cooling fluid was drained out. I must have hit something, some time. It could have been weeks or months ago and after awhile, a small crack became larger. True enough, checking our garage, where my car was parked last, there was a substantially huge watermark on the ground.
As with the engine, nothing major. The pistons, all still good.

As of 5.30pm today, my car is still at the mechanics – burnt parts being replaced and whatever tubes that are old, replaced, among other things.

So, I was technically car-less. But we do have spare cars at home. And no, I am not going to take those to work. I have a valid reason for taking an “emergency leave” and I plan to fully utilize it, as I already did.

Thursday, had a nice dinner with sweetheart and today, KLCC I went; had a long, lazy, relaxing lunch with a few magazines, did a little shopping and walked around leisurely.

Yes, what happened was a disaster actually but I reaped whatever positive there was from it. I had two full days of waking up late, lounging and doing absolutely nothing at home except for the occasional checking emails, reading blogs and a little shopping. And tomorrow is the weekend already. YIPPIE!!

I’m more worried about the mechanic’s bill actually! Eekksss…

(Monday 14 July 2008:

Got my car back Friday afternoon and no major damage. Phew!

I drove it around on Sunday just to get the feel of it after repairs. Felt ok.

I didn't think I would be nervous this morning but as I got nearer and nearer to the "historical spot", I found myself in a little anxiety attack - feeling a bit panicked, heat beat faster, breathing harder, silently praying that everything will be ok.

It wasn't like I was thinking about the incident as I drove this morning but subconsciously, it did affect me.

Considering what happened to me was rather minor and nothing substantial happened, it still bothered me.

I wonder how those involved in major accidents get pass their fears.

I suppose if you have to, you will.)

Drum Slices III

Last Friday, I looked over kakiseni.com to check out anything interesting to watch/listen over the weekend.

I don’t know why but somehow, under the Music directory, the event called “Drum Slices III” caught my eye.

Hmm, apparently it is some locally produced/managed event. With the description comes a URL. Checked it out - www.hands.com.my – and was intrigued with what they have done. I was even more pushed to watch it after reading this write-up from The Star.

Friday July 4, 2008

Rhythm nation

By N. RAMA LOHAN

Putting percussion-based music on the commercial map takes some doing, but Hands Percussion has done it ... and in some style, too.

WE all march to the beat of a different drummer. Likewise the Hands Percussion ensemble,which has formed a habit of doing things its own way. It’s this intrinsic self-belief that has brought the troupe numerous successes, the most recent of which was its performance at the ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival for Young People in Adelaide, Australia in mid-May.

The event – a gathering place of the world’s practitioners of theatre for children and young people, and a key global event in youth arts – saw the troupe performing with representatives from over 40 nations. Hands Percussion’s fusion of traditional Chinese drums and traditional Malay percussion instruments – and the odd tabla or two – received critical acclaim and acceptance from the enthusiastic audience.

It's in the hands: Eric Ch'ng (left) and Bernard Goh explain that everything they do is by their own hands ... thus the monicker of the group.

“I’ll be honest with you, the response from crowds abroad are much more encouraging than it is here. That’s really the beauty about festivals overseas – while they may have a specific brief, they are performed to and celebrated by people from all walks of life,” says artistic director Bernard Goh.

“That was also the scenario at the festivals we attended in Belgium and the Netherlands where the authorities wanted the entire community to experience the event, not merely those who are into the arts or those who could afford attending them. We’ve performed at old folks homes, kindergartens ... everywhere really, which tells you how important the arts is to them,” adds administrative director Eric Ch’ng.

It’s not about making comparisons between audiences but both Goh and Ch’ng feel strongly about getting Malaysians to be just as enthusiastic.

“It’s nice to be appreciated. When audience members abroad come up to us and ask questions about what we do and how we do something, it’s obvious they like what they see and hear. You can tell they’re having a good time because they actually get up, dance to the music and participate in the festivities,” offers Ch’ng enthusiastically.

Hands Percussion’s participation at the ASSITEJ festival did not come easily, though. Gaining recognition and support from the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry seemed like a lost cause but with a few visits by the organisers to Malaysia, coupled with assistance from the Australian High Commission, the troupe finally received the endorsement it desperately sought.

Fortunately, accolades have come the troupe’s way in the guise of the Boh Cameronian Award, a three-trophy sweep last year for the categories of Best Production Value, Best Original Composition and Best Group Performance and a nomination this year for its recent Aussie excursion. The troupe won the awards for the second instalment of its Drum Slices series of performances, an event that had 200 school-going children performing at Genting’s Arena of Stars.

Letting their hair down: The Hands Percussion troupe goofing around outside the Adelaide Festival Centre in Australia.

Percussion’s humble beginnings hark back to 1997 when it was initially inspired by lion dance troupes. It wasn’t so much a case of the entertainment industry crying out for a drum troupe but more of Goh and Ch’ng allowing their hearts to rule. Goh quit his job as a graphic designer and Ch’ng did likewise from a successful career as an accountant.

”I actually got into this 20 years ago and never imagined getting this far. I was originally a school band drum major, and I guess my love for drums just continued to grow from there.

“While I was studying graphic design, I began a coaching stint at the Chung Hwa private school and I noticed a lot of talent there. The problem was, after graduating, these students had no opportunities to further their interest,” Goh confesses.

Hands Percussion has attempted to circumvent this obstacle by introducing a three-pronged system designed to address the issue by way of its Performing, Education and Outreach, and Theatre Music Production programmes. The troupe’s endeavours to introduce its art form at school level have yielded very positive results with students now being offered performance platforms at cultural and corporate events, ultimately providing the means to lead a decent life.

Hands Percussion has successfully funded its activities through corporate events but Ch’ng points out that it’s no easy task. “We have 15 full-time members to take care off and I’ll tell you that we live on a day-to-day basis.”

Temptations from foreign troupes – who are often better paid due to government intervention – is a fear both Goh and Ch’ng have to face, but the pride they instil in the troupe has paid dividends in retaining their members so far.

The troupe’s philosophy of fusing various elements of local culture is far from conventional but Goh and Ch’ng both feel it’s all rather natural to them, given their Malaysian upbringing.

“We’ve grown up in Malaysia, so how can we cast a blind eye on what’s around us? I’m not a Chinese guy from China. I’m Malaysian, and naturally, I’m influenced by my surroundings, which includes the use of traditional Malay and Indian instruments. I mean, I grew up with my family in Kuala Pilah. And as percussionists, we’re always interested in percussion instruments beyond our own culture,” Goh asserts.

Naturally, this ethnic potpourri has drawn its share of detractors, especially those who tread the cultural high ground.

“We’ve also been told off that jumping on the drums is disrespectful and such, but my sifu has always encouraged us with his open mindedness.”

“Times have changed, too, and to get the younger generation to appreciate this, you really can’t lecture them or do things the conventional way ... you have to woo them instead. Unlike school, the kids whom we train insist on coming for the sessions even when they’re ill, much to their parents’ surprise. Such is their dedication,” adds Ch’ng.

Although the troupe’s name may suggest that it plays its percussion instruments purely with its hands, sticks are used too. Also, why Hands and not Hand Percussion, then?

“Everything we do is by our own hands ... it’s all basically an in-house effort, be it the graphic designs, the costumes, our website, sourcing of funds ... everything, really,” Ch’ng proudly claims.

Hands Percussion is not sitting on its laurels and soaking in the plaudits, the troupe’s ongoing efforts in taking its brand of entertainment abroad continues with the upcoming 8th COSMOPOLIS International Arts Festival in Kavala, Greece from July 16 to 20. The event is a celebration of – apart from music and dance – the world’s folk art, foods, thoughts and creations expressed in an artistic manner.

The globetrotting troupe won’t be leaving for Europe without first conducting Drum Slices III, which begins today at KLPac and ends on Sunday. Showtime is at 8.30pm.

Hands Percussion makes no bones about its honesty to its craft and the success stories the troupe is able to narrate thus far is a testament to both Goh and Ch’ng’s undying passion for their art.

For more info on Drum Slices III, call 03-9282 4250 or visit www.hands.com.my. Tickets for the show at KLPac are priced between RM35 and RM80 (10% discount for Hands Club members). Call Tel: 03-4047 9000 or 03-2094 9400 for tickets. StarYouth is the media partner for the Hands Percussion Team.

I’ve never been to the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center (KLPac). This would be the perfect reason to go.

We recce the place on Saturday night and cool! With the lighting of the surrounding area, it looked impressive but kinda eerie actually. The old buildings look quaint and colonial with the spotlight shining on them but I dare not look too hard for fear of seeing something I don’t want to.

Of course, when we made our way on Sunday afternoon to catch the 3.00pm show, under the light of day, you see things as what they really are. The long main driveway to KLPac still looks good and the park neatly kept, but the buildings, well, not too impressive. They are in fact rather old and abandoned but honestly, I must say they all add up to the feel of the surrounding area.

We bought tickets at the KLPac box office which I think need better organization of purchase and collection of tickets. Without proper signage, it was a little confusing for several people who were unclear on which queue to follow – purchase or collection – and were only told once they reached their turn after waiting in line that “This is for collection only. Buying is this queue”, pointing to the next queue, and sighing after looking back to see the queue going back to 15 people. Not pleasant!

Oh, one more thing - parking. What is it about Malaysia and its inability to provide sufficient parking for shopping malls and theaters and stadiums when you know there will be a massive number of vehicles during an event? I just don’t get it. We ended up parking by the curb, squeezing between cars. Sheesh!

Anyway, the interior of KLPac itself is nice. Straight out, I can say I like it. I like the modern build-up of the place with the use of metal, raw bricks and glass walls. Despite the number of people around the foyer, it still felt comfortable.

Let’s get on with the show.

There were 7 parts to it – 7 different showcases from different schools or teams. The first hour was team number 1 to 3 and after a 15 minute intermission, teams 4 to 7’s turn.

Teams 1 to 3:

I was bored. I was beginning to regret coming. Too many pauses. Ayo, enough with the pantomime. Hit the drums already!... Huh? Is that it? God, here we go again with the pantomime. Good grief…Enough!

The intermission was badly needed.

Teams 4 to 7:

THAT’S more like it! Clearly this is the highlight half. Of all 4, I liked team 5 most, performing “Monkey Beats”. The team were school children with the drums some barely reaching their chests. They were adorable, absolutely adorable. Their ability to concentrate, to present their emotions and above all enjoy themselves, carrying a smile while coordinating their movements with each other, it was so pleasing to watch. I was smiling throughout.

At the end of it all, I couldn't help but think - What a wonderful avenue for kids to have; a healthy extra curriculum for students. It gives kids such a good opportunity to build their character, build their confidence and I'm sure with the level of commitment and dedication that they showed, it will propagate to their everyday lives too.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast – The Broadway Musical

Ayo, I’m such a sucker when it comes to Disney.

So naturally I wanted to go to this musical la.

Well, being true to who we are i.e. doing things last minute, we bought tickets only after the show opened on the 24th June.
In fact, we visited the box office on the 25th and enquired on available seats. By then the best seats were already taken.

WAaT?!

Hmm… Of course they were. What did I expect right?

Nonetheless, we still managed to get the center block even though we had to settle for the very last show on 3rd July.

This is my second visit to the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) for a musical. The first was for Chicago, The Musical.

Why oh whyyyy did they choose KLCC? Sighhh…


I’m going to start with my wish list for this show:
No. 1: Location – Istana Budaya
No. 2: Music – Full orchestra
No. 3: Personnel – More people for ensemble

It would have been a bigger better performance had they done it at Istana Budaya – a proper theatrical stage and hall.

The “Be Our Guest” scene was limited in terms of props and ensemble. It should have been a whole explosive mass of colours and food and dishes, plates, forks, spoons and such but since the stage was so small, the whole scene felt a bit lackluster.
The classic “Beauty and the Beast” song sung by Mrs Potts was a magical moment in the animation between Belle and the Beast. But here again due to limited space, not much dancing could be done.

The music sounds kinda weird too. Where was the big orchestral boom?

They tried to make it sound grand and majestic but without the proper string, wind and brass instruments, it just does not work. Going through the program book and finding the list of musicians, there were a grand total of 7 of them. No wonder! Explains a lot!

Other than the songs taken from the Disney animation, there were several extra songs unique to the musical. I like most “No Matter What”.

“… No matter what they say

You make me proud

I love the funny way

You stand out from the crowd… ”

Credits where they are due, the performers’ voices were clear, crisp, melodious and very effective in line delivery. Comic anecdotes were brilliantly done and plentiful. With what little stage space and equipment that they had, they were quite creative at using them and rather effective actually especially when depicting the forest.

Character-wise, each was natural and owned their characters. You believe that they are what they played. Bravo to them for that.

I absolutely love how the actors portrayed the obnoxious Gaston and Lumiere who could literally light up his hands at will since they are candles. Must have been fun having that prop!

All in all, it was a good show.