Copypasted verbatim and in toto below is the scissors job executed by The J-Star on Tanda Putera.
The paper’s article today is titled ‘Few takers for ‘Tanda Putera’ in KL‘.
“KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the hype surrounding Tanda Putera, there were few takers for the show at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Screen Cinema (GSC) halls.
According to a cinema cashier, the movie has not been very popular, while an attendant said only 48 out of a total of 274 seats were occupied for the 2.15pm show yesterday.
“That’s not even half the cinema, and it’s been like this since it started showing,” he said.
There were about 60 cinema goers for the 5.15pm showing, and only a few advance bookings were seen for the 7.45pm and 12.45am screenings, despite it being a Saturday as well as a public holiday.
The movie, directed by Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba, costs RM4.8mil to produce, and was a joint effort by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the Multimedia Development Corporation.
Tanda Putera is a story of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and his good friend, the then Home Affairs Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman.
Several groups have complained that the movie had portrayed minorities in the bad light, with some alleging the film does nothing for national integration, but instead, stokes hatred.
A similarly cool response from cinema goers was also seen in Penang yesterday, with a check revealing that only 42 tickets were sold for a 305-seat hall at the 2.25pm screening at GSC Queensbay Mall.
However, it was a different scenario at the Mega Cineplex Megamall Pinang in Prai, where Permatang Pauh Umno Youth chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said booked the entire 160-seat cineplex for the 1.45pm screening for members of the division and his friends.
“I did not see any sensitive issues or elements in the movie which might incite racist sentiments.
“There is a scene which depicts a man peeing on the Malaysian flag, but people should be given the chance to judge for themselves whether it reflects the truth,” he said.
Azlan Ali, 37, who works as a driver, said he would consider watching the movie to find out for himself if the movie reflected a true account of what happened.
“Considering that it is controversial, I am a little cautious about the contents, but I hope that there will be a message at the end that will contribute to the values of National Day,” said Azlan at Queensbay Mall.
A 20-year-old student who wanted to be known as Hafiz Kulai said he preferred action-packed movies to those about history.
“Even if I decided to watch a local movie, I might not select Tanda Putera due to the reviews I received from my friends, who told me the story is less than balanced in several aspects.”
The J-Star write-up above and its less-than-subtle agenda could have been a copy lifted straight out of The Rocket.
Who’s afraid of Tanda Putera?
Now compare with Lim Guan Eng’s Merdeka Day message on 31 Aug 2013:
“Malaysians may not feel very exceptional when it is more fashionable now to be an extremist and racist than a Malaysian, to propagate lies than celebrate the truth and close our eyes to corruption and injustice. However the day will come when it is un-Malaysian to be a racist, a liar and corrupt. Malaysians will see through the lies such as those contained in the Federal government sponsored film of Tanda Putera, which sows racial hatred and division instead of harmony and reconciliation.”
And Guan Eng’s Merdeka Day message a day earlier on 30 Aug 2013:
“In upholding freedom of expression and strongly condemning racial hatred, the Penang state government reiterates that no action will be taken against anyone who ignores our advisory that ‘Tanda Putera’ is full of lies, demonises minority groups and the thousands of innocent Malaysians killed during the 1969 May 13 riots. As a matter of historical record, the Penang state government has a moral duty to adopt a clear and unambiguous stand to oppose any attempt to rewrite history that is grossly inconsistent with actual events and facts.” […]
“However freedom of expression does not gives one the freedom to lie. The Penang state government has taken this step to issue an advisory on Tanda Putera because the film has crossed a red line in using public funds to propagate lies that promotes hatred instead of harmony between the various races in Malaysia.”
“… it is hoped that all parties, including both cinema goers and movie operators can see through the lies and racist hatred embedded in the film. The sponsorship of the film’s production cost of RM4.8 million by the Federal government can only be seen as a full official endorsement, including fictitious scenes which the director admits are untrue but is explained as “creative license”. Creative license does not give anyone the license to spread lies that may cause racial disharmony and conflicts. Clearly BN is stooping low to brainwash Malaysians into accepting lies and rejecting the truth.”
Don’t the allegations by the DAP sec-gen and the allusions by The J-Star mirror each other?
The J-Star is far from being the MCA mouthpiece. Its Evangelista Bintang Tiga stripes are clearly showing.
Helen Ang 
LGE has been cheated by his own lies. To put it more bluntly, “‘dia yang kencing diri sendiri”. Lain kali siasat dan tengok dulu filem sebelum beri komen. Orang dah lama tahu LGE seorang yang tidak berakal.
Bukan saja tidak berakal ttp bapak segala rasis di Malaysia. Kita tidak ada masaalah dgn Cina MCA, GERAKAN, SUPP, dll. Ttp bila ada DAP yg makin kuat mula timbul macam2 isu cth:
1. Penggunaan nama Allah dlm Injil Melayu saja, yg hairan knp dlm Injil Cina, India, dan org puteh tak nak dilawan!
2. Anak tiri Khir Johari yg kalah pun boleh menang balik semata2 nak tunjuk ada sokongan org Melayu, sedangkan semua perwakilan Cina DAP menolak Melayu!
3. Parti PENIPU DAP juga keluarkan berita BLACKOUT di Bentong ttp anggotanya sendiri disana menafikannya, siapa PENIPU…. Jawab Ah Eng
4. Ada 40,000++ pengundi BANGLA ttp tidak ada satu laporan Polis pun di buat cuma disebar fitnah dlm internet. Mana Lim penipu dan kuncu2nya. Memang PENIPU BESAR dan byk lagi penipuan yg lain.
Orang Melayu lebih2 lagi Gen Y – sedarlah penipuan oleh Lim & Sons, Kapal Sink & anak2 kapalnya, [Anwar] dan anak serta isteri ttg PENIPUAN MEREKA KPD NEGARA MALAYSIA…..
Saya serta isteri (Cina) telah tonton TANDA PUTERA dan kesimpulannya adalah:
1. sepanjang filem saya sebak melihat pengorbanan 2 pahlawan negara, Tun Razak & Tun Ismail tanpa mengira faktor kesihatan masing2
2. Org Melayu & Cina serta India sama2 dpt tolong menolong diantara satu sama lain dlm kesusahan. (FYI, my late father in law (Chinese) was hidden by his Malay neighbor during 13 May in Penang when Lim and sons were in Melaka)
3. Cuma segelintir org Cina yg makan hasutan Komunis telah mulakan huru hara utk sambut kemenangan mereka
4. Ada sebhgn org Melayu yg marah dan mengambil tindakan yg salah
5. Banyak pemgajaran dpd filem ini jika dinilai dpd sudut ilmiah serta sejarah agar dpt jadi pengajaran kpd kita semua rakyat Malaysia
Cuma Cina RASIS yg bernama LIM GUAN ENG dan DAP saja yg tidak mahu terima kenyataan yg DAP merupakan pihak yg turut menyumbangkan kpd peristiwa hitam dlm sejarah negara. Jika tidak di bendung peristiwa yg sama akan berulang spt cth:
1. Terdpt anak2 Cina yg berani sendakan Negara Ku,
2. Hal sensitif org Islam di mainkan – Berbuka Puasa dgn Bak ku teh,
3. Iklan ARAK ada gambar Mesjid, dll
Ini semua tidak mendpt sbrg tentangan drp DAP…….. KENAPA ….ADA AGENDA TERSENDIRI DAP???
Sbg org Melayu yg telah beristeri Cina lebih 20 tahun, saya sedih dgn apa yg berlaku. BAGNGUN LAH RAKYAT MALAYSIA UTK TOLAK DAP YG AKAN MENGHANCURKAN NEGARA.
So Helen, komen la sikit, Penang lang punya komen ni…
re: “So Helen, komen la sikit”
My blog seems to attract participation from Malay men with Chinese wives, Malay individuals with some Chinese blood in the family, and from engineers.
n also british nationalist, arab american, plus the wonderful recycle man.
Gibberish +++
‘My blog seems to attract participation from Malay men with Chinese wives, Malay individuals with some Chinese blood in the family, and from engineers.’
Although I don’t know Annie personally, I had lots of friends and relatives who had either a Chinese parent or married to their spouses who had a Chinese parent.
My father had a Chinese niece, his elder sister’s anak angkat. His youngest aunty also had a Chinese anak angkat. One of my best friend is a Chinese revert, but there is something about the ‘90% Cina DAP’ that I simply can’t tahan already!
islam 1st. You are great. Great country with great peoples. From young, I never ask the following rude questions. How old are you ? What is your job ? How much do you earn ? Who is your father ? Where do you come from ?
I took everyone at their face value until they themselves exposed their secrets. I remember a college friend said to me, ‘ You people living in the town must feel very hot at night.’ In those days, his family was living at Jalan Seavoy, off Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur near the Indian crematorium. By and by I learnt from others the beauty of keeping my mouth shut.
Those who ask the rude questions are the wannabes — the Johnny Come Lately evangelista carpetbaggers who have recently moved into the Jerusubang neighbourhood.
kASSIM SELAMAT,
Saya menonton “tanda Putera” semalam di Puchong.
Ini satu filem yang paparkan ramai tokoh negara. Tunku, Tun Razak, Tun Dr Ismail, Tun Hussein, Tun Dr Mahathir, semua ada.
Dan ada adegan dalam cerita itu yang saya dah dengar 20 tahun dulu. Cerita pasal ada manusia tak guna buka seluar dan tunjuk alat sulit di luar kawasan rumah MB Dato Haron. dan juga cerita orang kencing di tiang bendera depan rumah MB.
KENAPA DAP MELENTING?
Senang saja. Sebab mereka yang mulakan May 13. Kit siang sibuk kata dia berada di Sabah paDA MAY 13. YANG dia tak beritahu ialah apa dia buat pada dua tiga hari seberlum tu.
Ramai kawan cina saya tergamam bila saya ceritakan kenapa Melayu hilang sabar pada may 13. may 13 pada kawan cina saya ialah (pada mereka) Tun razak aniaya Tunku.
Ketika saya belajar di PPP( Pengajian Persediaan ) di Kelana jaya pada 1986 , seorang pekedai Cina beritahu saya dengan begitu yakin sekali betapa Tun Razak mengapi apikan Melayu dengan Cina (maksudnya UMNO yang jahat) untuk rampas kuasa dari Tunku.
Dia sengaja kata begitu didepan Profesor saja(berbangsa Inggeris). saya selamba tanya beliau apa komen beliau tentang perarakan dengan Penyapu ditunjukkan didepan orang melayu di Kg baru. Beliau terdiam dan mukanya merah padam.
SayA SENGAJA TANYA UNTUK sedarkan beliau yang saya tahu apa ‘mereka’ buat pada may 13.
MASALAH KITA ORANG MELAYU ialah kita jarang guna kedudukan kita untuk keluarkan kenyataan rasmi. contoh bila Dr kua keluarkan buku mengenai May 13 dan beliau salahkan Melayu (dan UMNO), tiada siapa dikalangan UMNO kekluarkan kenyataanh rasmi untuk balas kenyataan beliau.
Budak budak muda Cina sebenarnya terperanjat jika mereka menonton Tanda Putera. Itu yang DAP tak mahu mereka tahu.
‘Budak budak muda Cina sebenarnya terperanjat jika mereka menonton Tanda Putera. Itu yang DAP tak mahu mereka tahu.’
Mungkin inilah sebenarnya. Masihkah ada peluang untuk budak-budak muda Cina yang tertipu dengan permainan politik sempit DAP disedarkan?
‘MASALAH KITA ORANG MELAYU ialah kita jarang guna kedudukan kita untuk keluarkan kenyataan rasmi. contoh bila Dr kua keluarkan buku mengenai May 13 dan beliau salahkan Melayu (dan UMNO), tiada siapa dikalangan UMNO kekluarkan kenyataanh rasmi untuk balas kenyataan beliau.’
Masa tu PM tidur. UMNO pun ditidurkan.
‘Ketika saya belajar di PPP( Pengajian Persediaan ) di Kelana jaya pada 1986 , seorang pekedai Cina beritahu saya dengan begitu yakin sekali betapa Tun Razak mengapi apikan Melayu dengan Cina (maksudnya UMNO yang jahat) untuk rampas kuasa dari Tunku.’
Tuan SA, saya benar-benar hormati usaha anda sejak sekian lama.
It is a very far stretch to link The Star’s article and Guan Eng’s critical statements about the film. The newspaper article reported how response to the movie has been poor in contrast to the hype cooked from both sides. People who were questioned gave a mostly neutral response or were not interested.
Guan Eng in contrast criticised the movie for being historically inaccurate and an attempt to create mistrust between groups.
No, it certainly does not mirror each other. Another case of comparing apples to mangosteens in an attempt to bash Star newspaper.
re: “People who were questioned gave a mostly neutral response”
On the contrary, the responses veer to the negative.
re: “Guan Eng in contrast criticised the movie for being historically inaccurate and an attempt to create mistrust between groups.”
The J-Star reported in the following words: “whether it reflects the truth”, “if the movie reflected a true account of what happened”, “the story is less than balanced in several aspects”.
“some alleging the film does nothing for national integration, but instead, stokes hatred”
Letakkan juga seorang pemandu yang telah menonton filem ini as oppose to a pelajar who had no interest dalam cerita sejarah.
Keep the Melayu bodoh narrative going.
Made it known also the film is nothing but bad business for the cinemas.
Keep the Melayu bad at business narrative going too.
Suhaimi Baba despite Selubung, Ringgit Kasorgga and Layar Lara to her credit, was an alien to some, until DAP made her Tanda Putera a national bashing phenomenon simply to keep the kaki buli Melayu act going.
“On the contrary, the responses veer to the negative.”
Not really. The UMNO Youth leader who organised a screening was quoted as giving a positive response.
The second person was open and neutral about watching the movie.
The third person was not too enthusiastic due to his movie genre preferences and feedback from his friends.
Certainly a vast difference than the pro UMNO newspapers that have been trying to push the film as the best thing since ‘nasi lemak’ or the film to end all films.
Responses depend on who you ask. The J-Star published the response of a student. If the paper had asked an older guy rather than a youngster who’s not interested in History, his answer would have been different.
Sometimes it is just a cleaver and subtle way the reporter put the message. The reporter can pick and choose 1-2 cases of people who dislike it to create a general perception according to what they want to portray.
I’m incensed by star today. They belittle our merdeka. Can you imagine they put the merdeka news as page 20 news. Even LGE tanda Putra spin is more newsworthy. This is too much. Really kurang ajar. The government must take action against star and Mca. No two ways for people belittling our merdeka.
Ps. I wrote the same piece on my blog as well. Just enraged with star trying to divide us further and further. We must now have a joint effort to boycott star.
When we question their patriotism, they accuse us of racism. When we call them uncouth, they say we are petty. You really gotta love these people.
They think they are in Kansas. Ah ha ha ha !
As for boycotting The Star, I say, don’t waste our time over it. It ain’t gonna work. They have a loyal following, bordering on the hysterical.
I’ve said this before; pro Pakatan folks called for boycott of Star for being MCA paper, and now pro BN ppl are joining them also for being a DAP paper disguised as MCA lapped dog.
So who read Star now?
The J-Star gergaji dua mata.
but i boycott the star more than 10 years already :)
Really ? Were you born then ?
this would normally be too stupid to merit a response, but for the sake of one that babble on and on the same topic due to aged, and to show some respect to old, yes.
HY when you open your big mouth, it reflects the emptiness of your hollow brain. Stupid.
Hahahahahahahaha, nice one, Sir!
The only thing trying to divide us further are dumno bloggers. Especially the ones with bad hair.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erectile_dysfunction
Ooops. People like me are not good using Mozilla. Sorry I pasted the article on ed. I must be dumno.
Helen… I am beginning to think that it is MCA repositioning itself to appease the Chinese. If that is the case…. Wow… Where are we heading?
re: “Wow… Where are we heading?”
Off the cliff.
Like lemmings with suicidal tendencies?
As for MCA’s posturing, does it even matter if they’re offering their collective backsides in a coordinated twerk ala Hannah Yeoh, I mean Montana? The Chinese community at large will just be sitting back, munching on the popcorn, enjoying the show where MCA makes a fool of themselves & vote for DAP/PR come GE14.
Still hasn’t reached the bottom of the cliff?
Alle. The Blue KMT MCA has now become the Red MCA. The Red dysfunctional Singaporean Trojan Horse DAP is now the Blue DAP via the brilliant Lee Kuan Yew with his 9 failed Policies for Singapore via Washington DC. Take your pick of these jokers. There is no political party for the loyal and true Malaysian Chinese !.
The Star boss editor said that Malaysians were contradictory lot. We said one thing but did it the other way. Didn’t he realise that he was talking about himself too, as far as Star was concerned?
He took a pot shot at FAM too, mainly due to failures of our national team, which was only the few things he wrote that I agreed. Will he have the guts to tell his sport editors to continue the FAM bashing?
re: “Didn’t he realise that he was talking about himself too”
He’s pretending that he hasn’t received the diagnosis of his paper’s bipolar disorder.
This J Star fellas, shld they cover Solomon Islands, Tonga, Australia, US etc etc etc riots, will spew same nonsense exactly like the Penang Tokong… minorities being oppressed, the locals are liars bla bla..
Sama acuan meh! world over same kepala otak. Just google..
J star now practising the endless possibilities… so called press freedom, voice freedom… minority freedom that control and make possible damages beyond control.
mirror, mirror on the wall….
Well I think the Star’s urban (mostly) Chinese demographic would mean that the slant of the story would favour the Komtar Potentate’s narrative. I happen to be in line with the bolded in red sound bites and I think it has more to do with a minority (in this case the Chinese) being at the receiving end of State sponsored propaganda.
Even the MCA have issues with the movie (and rightly so) but the Sexy CSL did shill on behalf of KJ for screening the movie in Penang and taking his shots (rightly) at the Komtar’s Potentate’s lack of principles.
The solution for this is simple of course. If we didn’t ban shite we didn’t like and the UMNO state didn’t favour their own narrative while sanctioning others, it would be a free for all and [in terms of movies] the only winner would be Hollywood.