metro ahad's top 10 for 2007

i received an sms from abie, the editor of metro ahad, saying i shouldnt miss buying metro today - unfortunately i cant get my hands on a physical copy of course but tks to digital technology guess what i found online, yay...

METRO AHAD
Top 10 2007

Oleh ABIE ABDULLAH
Rap
ESOK hari terakhir untuk 2007. Pelbagai cerita manusia terakam sepanjang tahun ini yang kini berada di dalam lipatan sejarah. Baik yang mencapai cita-cita atau yang masih tercari-cari arah, hari-hari 2007 mengisi kenangan dan pengalaman itu.

Tiara pilihan utama

ESOK hari terakhir untuk 2007. Pelbagai cerita manusia terakam sepanjang tahun ini yang kini berada di dalam lipatan sejarah. Baik yang mencapai cita-cita atau yang masih tercari-cari arah, hari-hari 2007 mengisi kenangan dan pengalaman itu.

Industri hiburan kita juga tidak sunyi dengan usaha anak seni dalam memartabatkan dunia seni dan memajukan diri sendiri. Arena glamor yang sering dihambat kontroversi bagaimanapun tetap manis dengan pencapaian yang dibuktikan oleh aktivisnya.

Selebriti Metro Ahad mengamati pencapaian lebih 20 anak seni tanah air sepanjang 2007. Bagaimanapun, hari ini, cuma 10 terbaik disenaraikan mengikut penilaian kami. Perkiraan rawak dibuat berdasarkan sumbangan mereka dan kesan kepada industri hiburan keseluruhan.

10. SHARIFAH AMANI - Atas nama seni
TEMPAT ke-10, kami sepakat memilih Sharifah Amani (Nani). Biarpun tidak merangkul sebarang anugerah tahun ini, keberaniannya membotakkan kepala untuk babak dua minit dalam Mualaf mencuri pandang. Namun keberanian itu menerbitkan isu sehingga beberapa mufti tampil dengan pandangan masing-masing.

Baru saja selesai penggambaran filem Selamat Pagi Cinta, Nani bagaimanapun dilihat sebagai seorang artis yang sanggup berkorban atas nama seni. Kalau sesetengah pelakon hanya selesa dengan pemakaian ‘alatan palsu’, pengorbanan Nani itu dianggap sesuatu yang besar. Lagipun, ia memperkuatkan lagi persembahan Aktres Terbaik Festival Filem Malaysia 2006 ini.

9. JACLYN VICTOR - Bawa nama negara
BIARPUN gagal membesarkan nama Malaysia di Ikon Asian dan Asian Idol baru-baru ini, sekurang-kurangnya usaha Jaclyn Victor itu harus dipuji. Dia antara yang membanggakan industri muzik negara dengan bakat dan vokal yang dimilikinya. Tahun ini, dia memecah monopoli Datin Seri Siti Nurhaliza untuk Vokal Wanita Terbaik di Anugerah Industri Muzik 2007, April lalu.

8. FAIZAL TAHIR - Bakat baru paling menyerlah
BINTANG baru, Faizal Tahir boleh disifatkan antara yang menyerlah. Gagal dinobatkan sebagai juara One in A Million tahun lalu bukan halangan untuk mencipta nama. Kalau diperhatikan secara kasar, namanya lebih melonjak daripada juaranya, Suki.

Metro Ahad melihat Faizal sebagai transformasi penyanyi Melayu generasi baru yang tampil dengan genre muzik tersendiri. Malah syarikat gergasi Pepsi memilihnya selaku jurucakap minuman ringan itu di samping model untuk pakaian DC Superheroes.

7. VANIDA IMRAN - Kepulangan berbaloi
SUDAH lama Vanida Imran di dalam industri ini. Kemenangannya buat pertama kali sebagai Aktres Terbaik di Festival Filem Malaysia 2007 melalui filem The Red Kebaya membuktikan sebuah ‘kepulangan’ yang berbaloi selepas filem besarnya sebelum ini, Perempuan Melayu Terakhir pertengahan 1990-an dulu.

Namanya kembali segar dengan pelbagai aktiviti termasuk model iklan dan ke final Sehati Berdansa yang berakhir semalam.

6. MAYA KARIN - Transisi menonjol
NAMANYA terus menonjol. Kita melihat transisi Maya Karin di dalam filem. Bermula dengan No Problem hingga terbaru, Anak Halal, gadis ini menampilkan perubahan besar bukan saja untuk dirinya, malah industri keseluruhan.

Bintang yang mula mencipta nama melalui program Wavelength ini terus membesar bukan saja membawa nama Malaysia melalui kemenangannya menerusi filem popular, Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam tetapi bakatnya diiktiraf jenama antarabangsa seperti Tag Heuer selepas Celcom.

5. DATIN SERI SITI NURHALIZA - Kekal teratas
KEJAYAAN album solonya sebelum ini (Transkripsi) sebanyak 80,000 unit membuktikan yang pasaran album masih ada, cuma perlukan kualiti yang baik. Album ini juga menang Album Terbaik di Anugerah Industri Muzik 2007 dan 10 Disember lalu, Siti muncul lagi dengan Hadiah Daripada Hati.

Bukan itu saja membuatkan namanya berada di dalam senarai Metro Ahad. Siti turut membuktikan yang artis berkahwin masih kekal sebagai penyanyi tersohor walaupun dikatakan tergugat. Populariti dan kualiti yang ditampilkan masih satu jenama buat industri muzik kita.

4. AZNIL NAWAWI - Angkat jenama pengacara
PENGUNDURANNYA sebagai pengacara Akademi Fantasia tidak menggugat langsung jenama Aznil Nawawi.

Sejak mengendalikan program hiburan masyhur itu, Aznil berjaya mengangkat karier pengacara yang selama ini hanya dipandang biasa atau setidak-tidaknya penyeri majlis saja.

Sebaliknya Aznil membuatkan tugas mengacara ini suatu kerja penting dan lebih menonjol. Jenama Aznil kini dilebarkan sebagai penyampai radio.

3. AHMAD IDHAM - Pecah panggung
BUKAN kerana kontroversi gelombang merah ketika pemilihan pucuk pimpinan Seniman tetapi Jangan Pandang Belakang membuatkan nama Ahmad Idham makin besar. Sebelum 2007, namanya sebagai pengarah sudah mula menjadi melalui Remp-It yang mengutip lebih RM4 juta.

Bagaimanapun Jangan Pandang Belakang memberi impak maksima di dalam jumlah kutipan tiket industri perfileman setakat ini dengan angka melebihi RM7.6 juta bagi tayangan di Malaysia, Singapura dan Filipina. Filem ini turut mendapat pandangan positif luar negara.

Formula sama dikatakan digunakan untuk Congkak yang akan ditayangkan Mac/April depan.

2. YASMIN AHMAD - Perhatian dunia
SERING dicop kontroversi di atas ‘karya jujurnya’ tetapi Yasmin Ahmad melalui tiga filemnya setakat ini - Sepet, Gubra dan Mukhsin masih kekal dengan genrenya. Malah sebuah filem remaja, Talentime bakal meneruskan ‘Yasmin Ahmad’.

Tahun ini, Mukhsin walaupun kurang menyerlah di tanah air sendiri, mendapat perhatian pasaran Jepun, Perancis dan Korea Selatan. Oktober lalu, hak siaran filem itu dibeli pengedar filem kanak-kanak Perancis, Les

Films du Preau, sekali gus menjadikannya filem pertama dari Malaysia yang dipasarkan di Eropah.

Filem terbitan Grand Brilliance Sdn Bhd (GBSB) itu turut dipertontonkan di Festival Filem Antarabangsa Pusan ke-12 dalam segmen khas diberi tema ‘Three Colours Of New Malaysian Cinema’.

Filem itu juga memenangi dua anugerah di Festival Filem Antarabangsa Berlin - anugerah utama ‘Grand Prix Deutsches Kinderhilsfwerk’ bagi kategori Generation K-Plus dan anugerah khas juri untuk Crystal Bear.

Selain, ia memenangi anugerah Filem Terbaik Asean di Festival Filem Cinemanila September lalu dan dicalonkan bagi kategori Filem Terbaik Kanak-Kanak di Anugerah Skrin Asia Pasifik di Gold Coast, Australia baru-baru ini.

Biarpun dikritik mengenai kewibawaan festival oleh sesetengah pemerhati industri tempatan, usaha Yasmin itu seharusnya dilihat sebagai pemangkin untuk kita menjual nama dan karya Malaysia di mata dunia. Buat kerja, usah mengata saja!
Yasmin yang kini berada di Bali bagi menyiapkan skrip Talentime, turut terpilih sebagai juri Festival Filem Thessaloniki ke-48 di Greece yang berlangsung dari 16 hingga 25 November lalu.

1. DATIN SERI TIARA JACQUELINA - Naik taraf dunia seni

ANAK seni paling cemerlang jatuh kepada Tiara Jacquelina. Usahanya menaikkan taraf dunia teater tempatan sejak pementasan Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical tahun lalu diteruskan dengan P Ramlee The Musical tahun ini. Maruah pentas teater semakin dihargai.

Jenama Enfiniti Productions milik Tiara selaku penerbit semakin kukuh bukan saja meletakkan tanda aras dunia teater kita malah kejayaan apabila mendapat kontrak pembinaan Kota Warisan bakal menjadi sebuah lagi mercu tanda seni di ibu negara yang menjadi tarikan terbaru kepada pelancong.

Perkampungan budaya yang menelan kos RM32.5 juta dibina di atas tanah berkeluasan 3.2 hektar di Jalan Davis, di tengah-tengah ibu negara.

Pembinaan kota itu dijangka siap dalam tempoh 10 bulan selepas Memorandum Persefahaman (MoU) antara Kementerian Kebudayaan Kesenian dan Warisan (KeKKWA) dan Enfiniti Productions Sdn Bhd yang ditandatangani di Istana Budaya, baru-baru ini.

Kota Warisan sebuah perkampungan berpagar yang dibuka dengan kepelbagaian kegiatan, tarian, lagu dan acara setiap hari.
Ia perkampungan asli yang memberi pengalaman untuk menyaksikan serta merasai sendiri pengalaman langsung cerita rakyat dan dongeng.
Pembinaan fizikal Kota Warisan merangkumi bangunan dan infrastruktur adalah di bawah tanggungjawab KeKKWA, manakala Enfiniti Productions bertanggungjawab dengan pengisian budaya.

Indonesia dan Singapura sudah mempunyai perkampungan budaya sendiri seperti Taman Ismail Marzuki (Jakarta) dan Esplanade (Singapura) yang berjaya memberi gambaran kepada orang luar mengenai budaya mereka.

Penilaian Selebriti Metro Ahad ini berdasarkan kemampuan Tiara yang cuba memartabatkan kesenian tempatan setinggi mungkin.

soft opening of BORNEO RAINFOREST BISTRO and THE RUAI

its nicer in Nice!

bonjour!

am on holiday with the family in Nice,in the south of France.. am reminded of that song from The Boyfriend, Its Nicer in Nice. it really is beautiful here and its been wonderful spending xmas with the family here.. jennifer and her husband emmanuelle are with us, they have a little one on the way and everyone is excited.

carol and jenn made us a great xmas dinner and i decorated the tree and made the egg nog.

i'm reminded about why our family is special; we find every reason to celebrate every season of the year - xmas, chinese new year, hari raya, even deepavalli whenever kuna's mum is with us. thats what i wd call being true-blue malaysian. i hope mila and dani continue these traditions when they grow up, always respectful and tolerant of the different races and religions that make our malaysia a special place to live in, and never forgetting the wonderful mixed heritage that make them the new breed of malaysians that will rule the world!

merry xmas and have a wonderful time everyone!

me as pgl

am so glad someone named ju posted these photos on the pgl group website on imeem cos i dont even have these myself... tks ju!

asia pacific film fest 2005 win

cool! so glad i stumbled upon this on the net on imeem cos i dont have this photo myself!

asmaradana tribal mix by jungle jerry

found this on a puteri gunung ledang group on imeem!

KOTA WARISAN - one step closer to a new dream project!

yesterday marked the birth of enfiniti's biggest ever project to-date. we (FINALLY!) signed an m.o.u with the ministry of culture etc etc to build my lifelong dream project, a malaysian cultural village, working titled "KOTA WARISAN" for now.

i have always wondered what to do with foreign guests and friends who come to visit us, cos after visiting the twin towers and taking them to putrajaya, what else is there really? here we are selling malaysia as the ultimate tourist destination of asia, "truly asia" and all, but really, what does a tourist visiting malaysia take home with him? photos taken against the tallest twin towers in the world. a coaster and matchboxes from a club in heritage row or jalan p ramlee. a t shirt from hard rock cafe kuala lumpur. memories of eating "malaysian food" every morning from the hotel breakfast buffet.

a visit to the maori cultural village with the family 5 years ago inspired an idea to set up something similar in our own country. at the temaki maori village, what sold me was the idea of the interactive experience that made this a very different one from the experience of watching a maori cultural show at the hotel lobby.

i set to work on the idea upon returning home, sharing sketches and drawings of the village the way i remembered it, with dear ol'pat ibrahim, who has always been there to "layan" my every dream and fantasy for 15 years or so now, bless him. we roped shah rezza in to give us input on traditional customs and palace protocol.

several years later, after the dust had settled on PGL the movie and musical, we picked up where we had left off and pitched the idea to the prime minister who loved it. then the whole business of going from ministry to ministry lah of course, letters here letters there,presentation after presentation, meeting after meeting. i dont know how we can still be as enthusiastic after all this time, but its still burning, so i know its still gonna happen.

anyway. i thought i'd post this for the record and include excerpts from the press release,just to share...

“We designed the concept of this village as an interactive, personalized tour which will include elements of our architecture, folklore, history, traditional storytelling, food, music and dance which form a big part of our rich heritage.”

“The cultural experience the world is talking about today is more than just a passive one. Tourists are becoming a lot more discerning when it comes to what they want to see and the way they want to feel after they see it.” - Tiara Jacquelina



A MALAYSIAN CULTURAL VILLAGE IN KUALA LUMPUR

Visitors to Malaysia will be introduced to another major attraction that will make their holiday in Malaysia an unforgettable one.

KOTA WARISAN Kuala Lumpur will be an authentic Malaysian Cultural Village, right in the heart of the city,in Jalan Davis.


A CULTURAL VILLAGE WITH A DIFFERENCE:

The difference will be the EXPERIENCE. A visit to KOTA WARISAN will be an interactive experience where guests are put into the environment and participate in activities at the Village rather than just,for instance, watching a passive display of culture on stage in a hotel lobby.


THE CONCEPT:

Drawing on our experience and strength in theatre and particularly in musicals, KOTA WARISAN will be presented in the form of a combination of ENVIRONMENTAL and PROMENADE THEATRE, which immerses and involves the audience in the performance; where all the villagers are performers, the action happens around the audience and the audience follows the performers around the space.


THE EXPERIENCE:

KOTA WARISAN is a fortified village that comes to life with traditional songs, dances and activities daily from 5.00 pm. It is an authentic traditional village where one can witness the experience of folklore and legends shared from the hearts of the old through the lives of the young.

Before entering the gateway, visitors are greeted by the Bendahara or Prime Minister and visitors are briefed on Malaysian village customs as well as palace protocol.


OUR AIM:

Our aim is for each visitor to leave the village with a authentic, deeper and more spiritual experience, an understanding of what it is that makes us unique as Malaysia; how our history, traditions, customs and rituals form a big part of our lives even today, how we lived, what we ate, and more importantly, a lasting memory of “living” amongst the people of Malaysia for the day!

At this point, several tour leaders will be introduced in the form of costumed characters from Malay folklore, e.g Pak Pandir, Si Luncai etc. These bi-lingual costumed characters will play the roles of teacher, comedian and host, providing information on our culture and traditions as visitors encounter and experience it, and advising on the protocol that is expected throughout their tour of KOTA WARISAN; all the while injecting their commentary with generous doses of humour. Female Visitors are then given a “selendang”, Male visitors are given a Sarong to wear over their clothes.

They are now ready to be a part of the set and the experience.


WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE THE VILLAGE?

Within the village, there are re-enactments of everyday life and the activities of our people, including food preparation, weaponry, weaving, and even Malay customs and traditions such as a Malay Wedding, the Cukur Jambul Ceremony…

…and even a Circumcision ceremony!


Once again education is mixed with humour, and the entire crowd becomes involved in the dancing, singing, food preparation, and will even experience kampung-style “gotong-royong” spirit as they help out in wedding preparations.


Visitors to KOTA WARISAN will get a taste of both the village spirit as well as experience the grandeur of the highest rung of our culture and society, when their tour ends with an invitation to the Malay Royal Palace. Here, the finest of Malay Architecture, a stage performance and a dinner fit for a Sultan will crown the day’s journey.



KOTA WARISAN Kuala Lumpur is developed by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage ( KeKKWa), who have appointed Enfiniti Productions Sdn. Bhd. to operate, market and manage the Village.

The Village will be built in an area of 8 acres in Jalan Davis, Kuala Lumpur, right in the heart of the city.

We aim to open our gates to our first visitors by the end of 2008.

The Borneo Rainforest

/
The real Tiara

By FARIDAH BEGUM,The Star

Photos by NORAFIFI EHSAN and RICKY LAI

Tiara Jacquelina puts 100% effort into all her endeavours, including her latest project, the Borneo Rainforest Café.

IF you want to know the real me, you must come to the Borneo Rainforest Café and you will understand the person I was, the one I have become and who I will always be,” says Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina candidly.

No pretences, all sincerity!


Cool touch: A waterfall amidst the dining area at the café.
Tiara, as she is more fondly known, has been a runaway success on the celluloid screen since her debut more than 20 years ago. It is often difficult to understand why a beautiful woman such as she would not succumb to the leisurely pursuits availed to her and be a trophy wife to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi.

Instead, she has, in the past few years, undertaken gargantuan projects such as Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL), turning it into one of the most talked about movies, and later a musical, not just in Malaysia but across the region and even in international film arena.


Yummy: Laksa Sarawak is one of Tiara’s favourite foods.
If producing the biggest budget movie in Malaysia was not enough, she even took the pressure out of worrying about whether the budget would hold and took on the lead role and sang the theme song, Asmaradana.

Before the dust settled on PGL, she had already undertaken the job of producing another success, the P. Ramlee musical, entitled My Name is Remy, to allow the legendary celebrity to be understood and loved as part of not just film history but also part of national history.

“These projects are not about feeding the masses with music and entertainment but about understanding the great legends of our society.

“We must pay heed to what had happened and how it has shaped our country and the people as a whole,” she says, during a casual meeting at the Borneo Rainforest Café, yet another pet project of hers that was squeezed in between her two entertainment endeavours.

You see, the thing about Tiara, if one is to understand her, is that she cannot sit idle.


Refreshing: Dining alfresco at Borneo Rainforest Café.
And time, even a second, is precious.

While she sips tea and talks to her audience, she still has time to break into a sincere and friendly smile, greet her staff and ask them how they are!

It is practically amazing that her café, new as it is, has one of the best teams in town, where every single staff member calls out a greeting the moment you enter, and throughout the time you spend there, eating delicious food and drinking exotic beverages, you feel right at home.

Back to Tiara.

Despite the fatigue she must feel in between major projects, and the numerous visits back to her husband’s home state of Sarawak and the travelling that comes with a minister’s job (she also puts in her 100% effort and support for Effendi), Tiara also tends to her two young growing children, Karmila Hani and Eridani, who demand a fair share of her attention.

The café is an entirely new venture for her and marks her foray into the world of food.

Why?

She smiles cheekily, knowing that people are wondering if she is really sane putting together this beautiful outdoor café, right across the Sunway Hotel resort, all planned very carefully and painstakingly to ensure the ambience of a natural setting is imbued into the atmosphere while people partake in reasonably priced and deliciously prepared food.

“This café is my identity. The food is simple yet exotic and it captures the direction of my spirit.

“I like the freedom and choice of eating simple foods, which I do almost all the time.

“But when it came to the crunch, having so much to do and no time to get to these comfort foods of mine, I thought it would be good to have them all in the same place and also to share my simpler pleasures in life with my family, friends and fans!” she says.

Among the foods that she loves are Kelantanese food, especially the Laksam, a rolled rice noodle dish with thick and creamy fish-based sauce filled with a generous serving of thinly sliced herbs and vegetables.

Others on her list are fresh seafood – her notable favourite is the chilli crab, Lebanese food and, of course, the signature dish of Borneo Rainforest Café – Laksa Sarawak, a spicy rice vermicelli soupy dish that is tangy and spicy and filled with delicious ingredients such as prawns, eggs and chicken!

For drinks, the lemongrass tea and Borneo mocktail are at the top of the list but the magic coffee that Tiara seems to favour also looks like a top-of-the-charts beverage.

Borneo Rainforest Café, which has been styled to be a clearing within a jungle setting, has a little something for everyone from hidden soft toys hugging the pillars to totem poles of Sarawak ethnicity and a beautiful waterfall amidst lush greenery.

While you enjoy the ambience of this natural setting, you can also enjoy the delicious offerings of the eight kitchens in this place.

They serve up dishes such as Nasi Kerabu, Nasi Lemak, Cantonese style noodles, grilled seafood – including oysters, crabs, prawns and fish – and delectable Mediterranean fare from the Lebanese kitchen, which serves the healthiest foods with most of its dishes roasted or grilled.

Not forgetting – because Tiara and her family “just love to eat” – there are also dishes like Laksa Johor, pizza and Italian fare to meet the different expectations of every member of a group that comes in to dine.

The dishes are reasonably priced with the Malaysian local favourites going from as low as RM6.90 per generous serving.

When patrons requested for WiFi and Shisha – a water-bottle contraption with which herbal fruit and fruit flavoured tobacco are smoked – Tiara ensured these items were incorporated into the café.

It is usually busy from 8pm onwards when the dinner crowd walks in. In recent times, the café has been the venue of some corporate parties where – you guessed it – the headhunting theme was the choice.

“We have people who book our café to hold corporate parties and even birthday parties,” says Tiara, beaming as she looks around the café, noting the happy faces of patrons and the equally happy staff members who are serving.

tribute to hani mohsin

this was an article i wrote for the star paper, a few days after Hani Mohsin left this world so suddenly. i thought it would be something i would like to have in my blog for the record and as something that my daughter Mila can look back upon when she grows up, also
hopefully something that will make us think about friendships, relationships, partnerships and marriage in a different light.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/30/focus/14996221&sec=focus

Opinion
Sunday July 30, 2006

A gentleman of fine breeding

A TRIBUTE BY TIARA JACQUELINA

“I sing to him that rests below,

And, since the grasses round me wave,

I take the grasses of the grave,

And make them pipes whereon to blow ...”

From Alfred Lord Tennison’s poem

‘In Memoriam A.H.H.’


IHAVE lost a friend. Life has stolen from us a kind soul, a noble man, a wonderful father, a faithful friend.

Hani Mohsin was a gentleman of fine breeding: One of the few good men I have had the opportunity to have crossed paths with in my life’s journey. Those who knew him remember him for his big smile, his sense of humour, the graceful way in which he always conducted himself, his humble manner, his tenacity, discipline and dedication to his work.

He valued friendships and went out of his way to build and nurture them. It’s no wonder that more than 2,000 people were there to pay their last respects on the day of his final journey. Some of us may never even meet that many people in an entire lifetime!

I am sure his loved ones who gathered at his home that day, and for the next three nights following that, will bear witness to his warmth and sincerity as a friend. He was always happy to lend a helping hand, always ready to lend a sympathetic ear. Always ready to provide cheer to a friend who is feeling down.

I am fortunate to have had him pass through and touch my life once upon a time. Five years together gave us a beautiful girl named Hani Karmila in commemoration of that union.

Our life together was not to be, and my life’s path changed; I began a new journey with another wonderful and kind-hearted man. Still, Mohsin and I always remained close, for Mila’s sake especially, and we constantly discussed matters of parenting and bringing little Mila up.

I see so much in Mila that reminds me of Mohsin. Her cheekbones you could never mistake to be his, as well as her slim long limbs and height. But more than just the physical is his perceptive mind, his resourcefulness and inner strength.

As an actor, he would always go the extra mile to give life and colour to every role he undertook. He shaved his head to play the role of a Buddhist monk in John Boorman’s Beyond Rangoon, playing opposite Frances McDormand and Patricia Arquette. When he played the title role in Erma Fatima’s film Jimmy Asmara, he totally immersed himself in the style and carriage of a star in the 1950s. The role was closest to his heart too, being a fan of everything from music to antiques to dressing from the 50s and 60s.

I remember him as a problem-fixer who would always go the extra mile on every project he undertook, especially when he was producing. He strove for perfection every time and would never be happy with mediocrity. And Mohsin was a hands-on producer who would get “down and dirty” to make sure everything ran smoothly.

He was always ready to fix any sort of production challenges that would arise, with gloves on – a last-minute prop required, a technical problem that needed fixing – and he would attend every single post-production session and work with directors on shot selection.

What Mila enjoyed most about spending her days at her Ayah’s place was all the activities they would get up to together, like gardening, painting walls, re-decorating, and woodcraft. Mohsin was a house-proud man who managed all his housework, cooking, cleaning and decorating on his own, without even the help of a maid.

Many who went to pay their last respects couldn’t believe that the house, which was in immaculate condition and so organised, was managed single-handedly by a bachelor!

Mila loved her father’s cooking too. They shared the same taste for real kampung style Malay cooking. He made really simple but yummy dishes like sambal tumis, roasted eggplant with sambal, a variety of northern style curries, and ayam masak merah.

Mila was the light of Mohsin’s life, especially after the demise of his beloved mother two years ago. His father passed away in 1994 and Mohsin was an only child. It was really a heart-breaking sight for me to have watched him bury his father, and then his mother, only to be there again under even more tragic circumstances.

Mila has always been showered with love and attention from both sides of her families and always liked to think of Mohsin, (Datuk Seri Mohd) Effendi (Norwawi), her little brother Eridani and me as one big happy family.

She would happily tell people that she was luckier than other kids because she had two fathers, one called “Daddy” and the other “Ayah”. Even Dani has only ever known him as “Ayah”.

The four of us shared many celebrations together as a family, from birthdays to school productions to school awards ceremonies, the last one of which was on July 12, when Mila received the Russell Arts award for achievement in Art. That was one of the proudest moments for all of us.

A memory I can never erase is a surprise birthday celebration Mila single-handedly organised for her father when he turned 41 on June 18 this year. We had discussed buying a plain round cake, and for Mila to decorate it herself. We set out to buy coloured icing and little trimmings to decorate a pretty little cake, but my little Picasso had ideas of her own. She said she would do it herself and surprise us all.

She had, on her own, created the Roda Impian (Wheel Of Fortune), the daily game show for which Mohsin had lately been most famous for hosting. She even organised for Effendi, Dani and me, along with our house staff, to surprise him on his birthday by turning up with this beautiful cake in her hands! It brought tears of joy to his eyes and this will be the last of our beautiful memories together.

(LAST BIRTHDAY: Mohsin blowing out the candles on his cake with Mila and Dani. Mila singlehandedly organised the private bash which was also attended by Tiara and Effendi.)

Effendi always described him as “Such a decent man. Always conducting himself so elegantly, so classily. You can’t help but like the guy.”

Mohsin and I remained good friends and working colleagues, and today we still share two floors of office space at Ampang Point. Rehearsals for our upcoming August run of Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical were even held there, so we would always bump into each other and discuss work as well as when he could make time to be with Mila next.

As a fellow actor and producer, he was always so supportive of my career, cheering me on and giving me encouragement whenever my spirit waned. He would text-message words of encouragement or praise whenever he watched me on stage or on TV.

He used to tell me, “Don’t give up the fight ? no one else in this industry can come close to making the changes that you can. You really need to just shut your ears to the naysayers and break through that brick wall. Nobody recognises us for doing what we do, but we’re not doing this for any kind of applause anyway ?”

On July 17, 2003, well-deserved recognition did come his way anyway, when he was bestowed the PMP (Pingat Mahkota Perlis) from the Yang Dipertuan Agong for his years of excellence in the industry. (Mohsin passed away on July 25.)

Today, the Arts has lost one of its finest. Today, there is one less star that shines among the few that glimmer in our skies. Today, the Arts has lost a friend.

May he rest in peace amongst the souls of the blessed. Al-fatihah.



# Tiara Jacquelina, best known as the producer and lead actress of ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’, the movie and stage musical, was married for five years to the late Hani Mohsin in 1993. She is now the wife of Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

mont blanc's "the power to write" campaign

I was recently asked to partner with Mont Blanc in their campaign to help fight illiteracy, by putting my signature on a limited edition pen that would be sold for charity. There are 2 Malaysians given this honor, Tun Mahathir and myself. I have been asked to pen an essay on the campaign and what it means for me to be involved, so i edited parts of my speech on that day and stringed it together in an essay, and thought i might share it in my blog for the record.

I've traveled the world twice over,
Met the famous; saints and sinners,
Poets and artists, kings and queens,
Old stars and hopeful beginners,
I've been where no-one's been before,
Learned secrets from writers and cooks
All with one library ticket
To the wonderful world of books.
~ Anonymous ~

When I was approached by Montblanc to partner in their “Power to Write” Campaign, I found it to be a tremendous opportunity to support this noble effort to reduce global illiteracy, through UNICEF. Not only is it an opportunity to contribute, we are also given a chance to reflect and appreciate our ability to read and write, which I find is a gift many of us take for granted.

The battle against illiteracy is long, and the amount of work is overwhelming. My heart goes out to the 115 million children of the world who may never share the joy of reading and writing, unless we who have such privilege, can make that difference and give them new hope. I believe that with many baby steps, it only marks the beginning of that jouney of a thousand miles; and along that journey we could touch and change the lives of so many in a way that cannot be imagined.

Why literacy? Being passionate for the arts from an early age, it was natural for me to come behind this campaign against illiteracy. As an actress and a producer, the culture of reading and writing was the very foundation of my career and progress. I have always enjoyed the emotional and visual journey that is conjured by the written word, be it poetry, prose, song or in the many scripts I read each day. My mastering of the written and spoken word, coupled with a creative eye and some knowledge of numbers and the art of marketing, is an integral tool in my work as a creative producer. I am one to believe that the pen is surely mightier than the sword.

Although my co-operation with Montblanc has gone a long way back, this campaign is a fresh new experience for me, certainly one close to my heart. The opportunity to work with UNICEF to help provide the gift of literacy to underprivileged children can empower children to read, write and therefore to think. Through education, those who are not fortunate enough can now gain access to this very basic necessity. The gift of literacy means a chance to touch lives, and change destinies; destinies of individuals, of families, and of nations.

Indeed, this campaign reaffirmed to me Montblanc’s loyalty to the culture of writing and reading, and struck a very strong chord with me. We know that literacy and education is the most effective equalizer today for the under-privileged. Hopefully, together with Montblanc, we will be able to make a difference in achieving this.

My final message today for all readers is to pause to think about how reading and writing has revolutionalized our lives – it is really like losing a limb to live without this skill. Indeed, I would like to invite you all to join Montblanc and UNICEF, in our efforts to provide basic education for our children today, in order to nurture the readers, writers and thinkers of tomorrow.

When I look back, I am so impressed again
with the life-giving power of literature.
If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of
myself in the world, I would do that again by reading,
just as I did when I was young.
~ Maya Angelou ~


By Tiara Jacquelina.

Tiara Jacquelina’s signature will be engraved on the Montblanc Meisterstück Fountain Pen 149 and for every one of these pens sold during the period until 31 December 2007, Montblanc will donate USD 149 to UNICEF. For further enquiries, kindly contact Ms Cesarine Lim at the Mont Blanc KLCC store, 0321662886

i love my job...

i'm glad i have a blog now. especially since p.ramlee opened, i find myself still buzzing from the adrenalin of watching the show again and again each night, still unable to switch off even past 2 am like NOW. i must say i'm the biggest fan of the show myself. i'm glad i have the chance to be in the audience this time around and just enjoy being entertained for a change instead of working it on stage, its quite a different experience. i'm glad though that now, FINALLY, in our 3rd last performance for the season, i can put my nightly notes to rest. otherwise i can't sit through a show and not be typing notes for actors, notes to zahim, pat, erwin, from my seat in the audience, to give them the next evening during briefing and sound-checks. FINALLY, the actors don't have me look for them backstage just to have me whip out my now infamous bling phone that carries notes for each of them. its so funny, whenever any of them see me approaching them and i go "ha!" they know that next thing that will happen is out comes my phone and out come the notes. bless these kids.

its part of the magical organic process i enjoy in theatre really. if something doesnt work, we can either remove it, or edit the text, or re-work the scene till it works. when something is working, we let the audience savour the moment. with film unfortunately, what you see on the big screen is what you get... it costs an arm and a leg to edit anything and have to go through the final mix process etc again...God forbid!

i sit through the show each night and allow myself to get soaked up in the show completely now. i look forward to the opening titles, cos the crowd response at that point tells me whether or not we have a "fun" crowd in the house that evening. then i look forward to the train sequence, which i think is malek's ultimate magic trick so far, i look forward to the scene where junaidah (atilia), ida, izlyn, zeqhty and maya swoon over p.ramlee...such an adorable "girlie" moment, that. then i look forward to the cutie pie infinatez and azrul in their paparazzi sequences. then, my faaaavorite scene in all of act 1 - the wedding of junaidah and ramlee! that just kills me. i love the look on sean's face when he turns his face and next thing he knows he's looking at the kadi! sean is ace in that scene, to me. what caps act 1 for me is sean's "hujan di tengahari" especially when he does the 1-octave-higher thing.

in act 2, i look forward to the norizan-ramlee showdown.melissa really blows me (and everyone else apparently) with her powerhouse acting in that scene. hats off to you, babe. thats a killer role and you nailed it no sweat. i thnk i wanna try "get outta my way!" one of these days, just for the thrill.. hee hee. after that, the moment saloma appears, its magic all the way to the end of the show. liza hanim has to be the most under-rated actress/singer ever. i've never really been a fan of any local singer's voice, but i must say liza's just mesmerises me, unfailingly, day after day, without fail. and the "gelora" scene is my absolutelutelute favorite of the entire show. the courtship and wedding proposal brings tears to my eyes everytime. and by the end of the show when seam sings "airmata di kuala lumpur" i'm a wreck.

i love my job.

the magic of musicals, and "cinta pertama"...

deansham's question on why a musical and not a film inspired me to post this new piece. i guess its bound to be asked again and again so i may as well gush now.

i have always been a fan of stage musicals, since i watched miss saigon in the 90's. i remember that was my first love where musicals are concerned, and i was so blown away by the experience, its stayed on my mind til today. musicals have a magical way of transporting you mind, body and soul with good performances, clever staging, a compelling story, WOW sets, sweeping overtures and memorable showtunes you leave the theatre singing in your head.

nothing beats the energy of great rapport between an enthusiastic audience and the actors on stage projecting and pouring their emotions so freely. its uncanny though, i never experienced a malaysian audience so open about expressing themselves so openly before this. its always been a pretty much passive experience watching traditional theatre, i guess. then again musicals are a relatively new medium for most malaysian audiences and i guess when it hits them, it hits them hard and they respond with raw enthusiasm and they cry and laugh and cheer.

a standing ovation at the end caps it all,and these are some things you just cant orchestrate, it comes from the audience naturally at the end of a good musical outing. its a fabulous feeling on the receiving end too, i can tell you this from experience. quite honestly, the "live" appreciation and adulation you get from an audience under the spell of a magical musical,makes you forget just how much sweat and tears it took to get you there. you're on such a high for hours after the curtain call, you just want the moment to last! thats why we stay up to sign hundreds of autographs after the show, to stay in that moment.

since that "miss saigon" experience i have watched almost every other musical especially the ones by cameron mackintosh and andrew lloyd webber. many of them i watched twice or more too, just to re-live the magic. "phantom of the opera" is my next favorite musical, along with "les miserables"- i cried and cried, and i still choke thinking of the songs and the scenes they came from. i also enjoyed "the producers" which was most entertaining - laughed myself silly, and relived that experience again in the film version that was out last year. watched "cats" too which didnt quite have the same magic as "saigon"or "les mis", but was sweet and rather entertaining,in parts. watched "bombay dreams" in new york but missed stephen rahman hughes in it so i guess it was only half as magical as it could have been, ha ha.

but there's nothing like your first love, really. just as p. ramlee was a first love in malaysian cinema for many of us,our very own "cinta pertama", first musical experiences stay with you for a long long time. sigh.

extra performance for p. ramlee the musical

hi friends!

just to share with you, before news is released to the general public tomorrow, enfiniti productions is confirming 1 additional performance of p.ramlee the musical, 3rd november at 3pm (matinee performance). this will surely be a most emotional performance for the cast as its going to be their last day of performing for this season... tickets are available through www.ticket2u.biz and istana budaya's 24-hr hotline just as before, so good luck, its 1stcome-1st served...

hope to see you all there!

tiara's producer's note in p.ramlee programme book

In my midnight huddles with my team after a gruelling 12-hour day of rehearsals, I remind them about how we are doing this not for ourselves,and certainly not for anyone else but for P. Ramlee. It’s the least we can do in recognition of his genius and exceptional talent, and his total dedication to his art that has given us this industry that exists today.

It is very unfortunate that the people of my generation and the generations after us, have totally missed out on who P. Ramlee was, and why it is that he is called a Malaysian icon, a national pride, a legend. Therefore, in the name of immortalizing that very legend, my friends and I have set out to research and tell the story of his life, so our children will always remember.

Putting on a show is always a challenge. Trying to meet and hopefully exceed the expectations of audiences after the success of Puteri Gunung Ledang is ten times that challenge. But I have always been most fortunate, God always sends wonderful people my way. Wonderful people who share the same vision and the same dream.

Watching the team work lifts my spirits and strengthens my hope that we have the people who want the best for our country. Mahatma Gandhi once said that we must be the change we want to see in this world, so here are a bunch of people who are trying to walk the talk and make that change. There is so much to be learnt from watching how people in the arts come together, support each other and succeed together. I see a team of people who work not for credit or recognition, but are happy to play their part in making the bigger picture a success.

Thank you, Tan Sri P. Ramlee, for being the original dreamer, and for inspiring many of us after him, to dare dream too.

Saloma sings these words at the end of the play:

Dan siapakah dia
yang telah berjaya
menghuni di hati
kita semua?
Dia telah membawa
Makna dan kenangan
Cinta yang pertama…




“What you want to do, and what you can do, is limited only by what you can dream. Mike melville

hello, new friends...

hi manal,true blue,aishah, adlisyahril, deansham, sheila,nadia,

thanks for being one of the first few visitors to my blog. and thanks for saying such kind and encouraging words about p.ramlee the musical. we put it together with love and sweat and tears, hoping it is worthy of a tribute to tan sri p.ramlee.

true blue,
i will try to upload photos soon but being a new blogger, belum pandai! will get chedd to show me how...

sheila,
there are 300 tickets for 27th matinee as well as 31stnight that were originally blocked for a corporate booking yang tak jadi, these are the best view seats actually, rm180 and rm200, i just booked some last sunday for my family members,you can try your luck there but its 1st come 1st served and i dont have any control over ticket sales,only istana budaya and ticket2u do..

nadia,
so sorry to hear what happened to your seat! have you got a replacement for another night? i heard what happened actually,malu betul and i feel really awful especially untuk theatre fans yang betul2 berusaha book tiket awal2 mcm you.

happy birthday to me!!!!!

if youre wondering what happened during the 1 week silence, its cos i couldnt for the life of me remember my username and password combo...newbie ma..what to do. thanks to chedd, again, i'm baaaaaack!

so much has happened in the last one week. i celebrated a birthday (only my 27th lah, no big drama..cancelled the big celebration at the 11th hour cos i didnt feel like partying really, for once, what with the show round the corner and this being ramadan month and all, not quite feeling the party mood if you can imagine. however!!! became quite a drama in the end with surprise bash after surprise bash, first was one dear ol' eja organised with the ensemble and pat, at the stroke of midnight of 3rd october, then it was buka puasa the next day with the cast and team at istana budaya, and i got my bezzies who would have been at the cancelled birthday bash to be there with me too. this time it was durian cake...ayo..heaven.. that night after buka, we were treated to a full run thru of the entire show, both act 1 and act 2 - i couldnt have asked for a better birthday gift than to finally see the whole show coming together. i had my posse with me - khai, noren, karl, mal, teong hin. after the run thru, this was already 11.30pm, whilst it was still technically the day of the birthday, the celebration continued at the concorde hotel melting pot! it was quite a big group of us, including pat & ian, zahim, and even siti and datuk k. what a drama. from not even wanting to celebrate to a triple celebration.

18 days to d-day!

arrrrggghhh!!! october has "happened" so suddenly. now that brings on the butterflies,i tell you. in the next 14 hours, the sets would have moved in to the backstage area of istana budaya,erwin gutawa's team of musicians from jakarta would have arrrived, and we will officially "bump in" on stage.

tonight at rehearsals,pat is in the ballet studio with the ensemble, fine-tuning act 2 sc10 again and again. the moves are looking very much sharper today, and have a more definite attitude about them. even the "transformers", bless them, are really looking the part. the "transformers" are the guys who move and changed the sets in PGLM, but because we noticed that some of them actually had some hidden talent in them, this time around we decided to put them in costumes and actually feature them onstage. quite clever of the creative team, i thought.

watching the ensemble in action is always a real treat for me. especially after a full day of looking at marketing and publicity plans, progress update sessions, giving interviews etc etc, i'm always too happy to escape to i.b to watch ida mariana, izlyn and maya turn it on, or enjoy seeing baby erin, rozana and nadia light up the stage with their energy, witness chedd as sukardi in his element onstage. even the lovable fern (whom i always tell pat i marvel at how she has assimilated into the group so well, being one of the only non-malay members of the ensemble. so sweet.

now, must retire... long, long day ahead tmrw.

i'm now officially a blogger!

wooooo hooooo!!!! can't believe i finally got around to doing this. been suuuuuch a long time comin'. tks chedd for telling me to just get it out there and get going.

it's 2 weeks to showtime for all of us at p.ramlee the musical and every night when i return from watching rehearsals, i wish i had a blog to gush my thoughts and feelings on to. its just such an overwhelming experience being in rehearsals all over again, and putting on a show from scratch all over again. its such a different experience for me this time around as i'm not behind the wheel or being driven for a change. i find myself watching the race on a closed circuit tv monitor and occasionally when i really really cant help it, i get into the pit with zahim,pat and adlin.

the pit, or the arena,is really where the fun is. thats where you feel the energy of the ensemble in your face,where you see the sweat dripping off their foreheads, where the sweet scent of 2pm - 12pm rehearsals drift through the air at the ballet studio at istana budaya. where actors pay their dues,clocking in their flying hours in order to deserve the thundering applause we ALL work towards on opening night.

tonight, 44 members of the ensemble were there in the arena, taking in choreography, working on changes after notes from za and adlin, giving their all for the big scene at the end of act 2 which shows the political chaos at the time of the malaysia-singapore split, and the crumble of malay film productions,and basically the crumble of the malay film empire. it was high on adrenaline all the way, and one of the most trying bits of choregraphy. tbc....