Malaysian James Bond Passes Away
I just cannot believe my eyes when I check the news early Thursday morning. The headline reads 'SCREEN LEGEND JINS SHAMSUDDIN PASSES AWAY'. I rub my sleepy eyes in disbelieve. It is only when I see the same words again does reality set in. Almost immediately I feel emptiness in my heart. I have always idolized Tan Sri Jins Shamsiddin. To me, he stands shoulder to shoulder with the other movie heavy weights like P Ramlee, Ed Osmera and Ahmad Mahmud.
It was just the other day that I was speaking to one of the dealers at the Kampung Berjaya flea market. I have to admit I do not know his real name. He introduced himself as Haji when we met four years ago and I have stuck to that name ever since. Furthermore, everyone else calls him by that name as well. Haji and I share a common passion. We are both very much into Malay films, especially those produced between 1960s and 1970s. That is the time we consider to be the golden age of the Malay film industry.
I enjoy having coffee with Haji during his morning break. He regales me with tales of his younger days in Singapore. His father worked for Shaw Brothers and his family lived in the Jalan Ampas Staff Quarters. As a young boy, he often sneaked into the production area where his father worked as a camera man. P Ramlee, Saloma, Saadiah, Latifah Omar. The list goes on and on. Oh..and of course Jins Shamsuddin. Haji has seen them all in the thick of action.
Haji's father was a far sighted man. Apart from making films, Shaw Brothers also had their own camera crew who took photographs of the scenes during filming. Those photographs were for promotional purposes and they were discarded once the film was released. Haji's father collected and stored them carefully in boxes.
'Son, one day these photographs will be of great importance and value. Keep them now and sell them at a high price next time.' That was what Haji's father told him one evening after he came home with another bag full of photographs.
Several years ago, Haji moved from Singapore to Malaysia. Fortunately, he brought those precious photographs along as well. He settled down in Sungai Petani, Kedah and began participating in the nearby flea markets.
Several weeks back, during one of his better mood days, Haji let me in on a secret. His father not only collected discarded photographs. The shrewd man also picked up film dialogue scripts that were thrown away. But these were were mush fewer in numbers compared to the photographs. 'I remember seeing scripts with the names of the stars printed on the cover. I have P Ramlee, Jins Shamsuddin, Ed Osmera and a few others,' he confides over kopi panas. I can still remember his crestfallen face when I asked to see the books. 'Ai ya..I did not take care of them and they were damaged by white ants. Nothing left.' I nearly cried when I heard that. Those dialogue books will be priceless today if he had taken good care of them.
Over the years, I have bought quite a lot of photographs. Many of these include images from Jins' films. Among these, Gerak Kilat, Bayangan Ajal and Jurang Bahaya have the greatest impact on me. This trilogy with Jins in the starring role as the suave immaculately dressed spy, Jefri Zain, was Asia's answer to the rising James Bond craze that was sweeping the world at that time. The premier of Gerak Kilat back in 1966 saw crowds turning up in droves at cinemas throughout the country. Like me, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the suspense, state of the art gadgets and best of all the clever mix of comedy. All in all, it captured the very essence of what a good movie should have.
I remember clearly the first time I watched Gerak Kilat. Although many of its scenes had a close resemblance to those from Dr No, the first film in the hugely popular James Bond franchise, but to me it is the laughs that matter. The villains in Gerak Kilat, numbering by the hundreds, were at most times defeated in a hilarious manner with Jefri Zain's unending arsenal of gadgets like exploding cigarettes, pen guns and acid spewing bracelets.
Gerak Kilat was so successful that Shaw Brothers decided to produce and release the other two movies in quick succession two years later in 1968. By that time, the Jefri Zain craze had taken Asia by storm. The youthful and handsome Jins at that time swept the ladies off their feet while many men inspired their barbers all over Malaysia and Singapore to give them his trademark hair style. Jins was at the pinnacle of his achievements. He, together with his stunning female co stars, dominated the front cover of nearly every film magazine for that year and the next.
Jins Shamsuddin was born in Taiping on 5 November 1935. His movie career began in earnest in the early 1950s under the tutelage of film giant Tan Sri P Ramlee. Throughout his lifetime, Jins acted in a total of 46 movies where 31 of these were produced in black and white while the rest were in colour. Jins began acting under P Ramlee in Pancha Delima which has a story line quite similar to that of Beauty and the Beast. In that 1958 film, Jins played the role of a bewitched snake that can only assume human form at night. Fate has it that he rescues a poor wood cutter and in return asks for one of his daughters. It is this beautiful damsel who helps Pancha Delima break his spell.
Beginning his career with just supporting roles, Jins worked hard and picked up many pointers from P Ramlee. In time, he managed to convince the major movie players of his acting prowess. Then on, his career progressed rapidly, catapulting him to a series of leading roles in blockbuster movies like Sarjan Hassan (1958), Megat Terawis (1960), Si Tanggang (1961) and Neracha (1962).
Jins progressed a step further in 1969 when he gained enough confidence to start directing his own movies. In the tail end of the black and white movie era, Jins started assuming dual roles, a rare ability that few film stars possessed. He directed as well as acted in two the hugely popular films, Bukan Salah Ibu Mangandong (1969) and Di Belakang Tabir (1970).
To me, these films are especially significant because both featured P Ramlee playing supporting roles. It is said back then that is was next to impossible to get P Ramlee to act in a film that he did not directed himself. So the movie industry was pleasantly taken aback when the Malaysia's greatest film star humbled himself and agreed to act in both his protégé’s films. Perhaps P Ramlee thought that it was time he returned a favour as Jins had acted in his films for nearly 20 years.
Jins took a break after completing Di Belakang Tabir, which incidentally was his last film in black and white. We wanted to further his education. He saw this as a means to help him progress in a rapidly evolving film industry. Jins must have felt that things will never be the same again as the industry starts to embrace the technology to produce films in colour. Jins took a Diploma in Motion Picture Technology at the London Film School in 1970. He graduated two years later with first class honours.
Just two years ago, in 2015, Jins scored another first in the film industry when KRU Productions Prodigital Lab restored his highly successful Bukit Kepong from its film reel and re-released it in cinemas in digital HD format.
Originally screened in 1981, Bukit Kepong won Jins the Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor awards in the 1982 Malaysia Film Festival. All in all, Bukit Kepong received seven awards that year.
Bukit Kepong tells of the sacrifices made by a team of police and the local villagers in a small Johor town. This heart wrenching tale is set during the time when the communist terrorist threat was at its peak in Malaya. Events in the movie finally culminated in the blood bath on 23 February 1950. Based on actual events in Malaysian history, this 2 hour long movie describes how 25 people were holed up in the Bukit Kepong Police Station. They were surrounded by 180 bandits bent on taking over the wooden building located just by the Muar River. The policemen and their families refused to surrender despite the fact that the bandits were far more superior in numbers and fire power. In the end, they chose death instead of abandoning their duties. This movie touched the hearts of Malaysians from all walks of life. It tells the story of patriotism, integrity and determination.
It is films like these that have kept my passion in movies burning strong. Over the years, I have been following Jins' silver screen career closely by collecting related materials like photographs, newspaper cuttings, film magazines as well as other memorabilia. Most of these are sourced at flea markets or through the Internet social media group postings. Among these, I like the Shaw Brothers Majallah Filem best of all. Compared to the other publications, it is far more superior both in terms of quality as well as content. Sadly, prices for these highly desirable magazines have been rising rapidly over the years and lately I can only afford to look and not buy any more.
In the political arena, Jins is known to be a strong supporter of the Alliance Party in Singapore. He was among the pioneers who sat in the UMNO pro tem committee in 1960. National archive records show that Jins is among the founding members of the Bukit Timah UMNO branch in Coronation Road. On 13 October 2004, Jins made history yet again when he became the first celebrity in the country to be elected to Malaysia's Upper House, the Dewan Negara.
Born Mohamed Zain bin Shamsuddin, our national art laureate is survived by his wife Puan Sri Halijah Abdullah and their two sons, Putera Hang Jebat and Putera Hang Nadim. He has another son, Jefri Jins from his earlier marriage with actress Rahmah Rahmat in Singapore in 1961.
The nation mourns its loss as the late Jins Shamsuddin in laid to rest in Masjid Ulu Klang. There will never be another Malaysian James Bond again. Rest in peace. You are gone but never forgotten.
Interesting tale related to the birth of Tunku Abdul Rahman, our Father of Independence.
The KTM Kommuter service is efficient and very convenient.
Check out my story about these much sought after magazines have become collectors' items in today's Sunday Vibes, New Sunday Times.
Items from the Japanese Occupation in Singapore are well documented and displayed at this former Ford Factory in Bukit Timah. 
Read about my story by clicking the link below: https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2017/08/264649/lessons-war
Checkout my latest story in Sunday Vibes, New Sunday Times 13 August 2017.
https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2017/08/267364/elephants-malaya
Raja collects recyclables from my area regularly. We donate generously because we know he uses the money to help fray his costs in transporting volunteers to the soup kitchen in town. One morning I happen to be outside when Raja arrives. I help him load two large stacks of old newspapers into his van. Then, just as I am closing the door, I notice an old magazine on his passenger seat. I can see it is an old copy of the Shaw Brothers Indian Movie News. I offer to buy the magazine thinking that he got it during one of his recycling trips.
Although not the first to produce movie magazines in Malaya and Singapore, Shaw Brothers thoroughly understood their effectiveness. They owned a printing press, the Shaw Printing Works, that soon churned out a continuous stream of publicity materials. Shaw published film magazines in four local languages under the banner of the Chinese Pictorial Review Ltd which was incorporated in Singapore.
The reference to the film festival jolts my memory. Taipei played host to the 11th Asian Film Festival in 1964. I clearly remember the Best Comedy Film category was won by Madu Tiga. This black and white romantic comedy film was both directed and starred by the screen legend, P. Ramlee. The plot revolves around a childless couple, Jamil (P. Ramlee) and Latifah (Zaharah Agus). Jamil subsequently marries Hasnah (Jah Hj Mahadi) without his first wife's knowledge. After that, Jamil meets Rohani (Sarimah) during the course of his work and marries her as well. The scene becomes chaotic when the women realize that they were all married to the same man. Like most movies of that era, the film ends on a happy note when Jamil promises to be equally fair and loving to each one of his wives. In October 2014, The Straits Times called Madu Tiga a classic and ranked it among the top five greatest Malay films made in Singapore. 
The Chinese language entertainment magazine was dominated by the 200 page monthly called Southern Screen. It was produced the Shaw Brothers Hong Kong division. Southern Screen was first published in 1957 when Run Run Shaw took over the Hong Kong film production from his brother Runde Shaw. Right from the start, Southern Screen showed a marked improvement from Rundme's Screen Voice Pictorial film magazine by increasing content on newly released films, producing high quality photographs of famous stars and even including lengthy commentaries on the latest gossip and news to come out of the Shaw Studios at Clearwater Bay.
Sporting events were also used to promote films. Premier of the movie Around the World In 80 Days in 1956 was made extra special with a cycling race held in Alor Star. It was reported that more than 1,000 spectators turned up for the event. Two years later, the organisers took the opportunity to promote air-conditioning in cinemas during the Johore-Singapore walking competition. Signs with the words 'Every stride you take means you are getting closer to a Shaw air-conditioned cinema' clearly emblazoned on them greeted participants at each water stop. In 1960, a Vespa race was organised at the Great World Amusement Park by the Singapore Vespa Club to promote the Ben Hur blockbuster movie. Spectators received car bumper stickers, records, sunshades, postcards, stamps and bookmarks during these promotional events.
Li Juan puts away his spy glass and grabs hold of his water container. This is the third time he has taken a drink within the hour. The noon sun is bearing down on him with all its fury and yet he has to remain steadfast. The young man turns towards the narrow path leading down the mountain but his replacement is still nowhere in sight. He takes an additional mouthful hoping that it will help dissipate his growing hunger pangs. His watch at the top of Victoria Peak began just before dawn and there was hardly any time for breakfast.
He returns his gaze to the horizon. Still nothing. 'I hope Flying Cloud arrives during my watch,' Li Juan tells himself knowing that each successful spotter gets an incentive. That extra dollar will certainly go a long way in helping his family through lean times. Then, a tiny speck appears in the distance. Li Juan quickly reaches for his telescope to get a better look. Slowly by surely a mast appears over the horizon. The young man's heart beats faster as he watches impatiently. Finally, the ship's flag comes into sight. A wide smile spreads across his face when the unmistakable Chinese dragon twining around the Scottish thistle insignia comes into sight. Without a doubt, the ship is Flying Cloud returning to Hong Kong with its precious cargo from Europe and India.
Chinese maritime influence expanded rapidly during the reign of Emperor Yongle (1360 - 1424). This period, considered the golden age of the Ming Dynasty, saw a sequence of epic voyages that began to radically change world history.
The first foreigner to make his way into the region was Bartolomeu Dias who discovered a way past the treacherous Cape of Good Hope in 1488. Portuguese influence expanded further when Vasco da Gama reached Calicut, South India in 1498. Then, in just three short years, the Portuguese forces under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque took Melaka and the entire south coast of the Malay Peninsula together with it. The Portuguese aspirations in Asia did not end there. Two years later, in 1513, Portuguese explorer Jorge Álvares sailed past the Guangdong coast and hoisted the Portuguese flag on Hong Kong's Tuen Mun region.
The 'General Cannon' in the Pacific Basin Sea Bandits Gallery section is an important reminder of the Opium Wars. This huge piece of military equipment was once part of the impressive arsenal guarding the narrow entry point into Guangzhou called the Tiger's Mouth. It was captured during the opening battle of the First Opium War when the British attacked and overcame the forts guarding the city. After that, the 'General Cannon' was transported back to Britain and stored in the Tower of London. The Hong Kong Maritime Museum brought it back in 2010.
Several years ago, Haji moved from Singapore to Malaysia. Fortunately, he brought those precious photographs along as well. He settled down in Sungai Petani, Kedah and began participating in the nearby flea markets.
It is films like these that have kept my passion in movies burning strong. Over the years, I have been following Jins' silver screen career closely by collecting related materials like photographs, newspaper cuttings, film magazines as well as other memorabilia. Most of these are sourced at flea markets or through the Internet social media group postings. Among these, I like the Shaw Brothers Majallah Filem best of all. Compared to the other publications, it is far more superior both in terms of quality as well as content. Sadly, prices for these highly desirable magazines have been rising rapidly over the years and lately I can only afford to look and not buy any more.
It is 6 am and most of Alor Star is still asleep. The early Friday morning air is cool and crisp. I greedily breathe in lung full of this precious commodity knowing that it will disappear once traffic picks up. I join my friends in casual banter. Our relaxed demeanor may seem deceiving. We are actually like a pack of hungry lions waiting patiently for our prey to arrive.
Several men enthusiastically climb up the lorry and start untying the canvas sheet. 'Sabar! Sabar! Bawa turun dulu!' Abang Jo requests for calm. The crowd goes into frenzy the moment the first bag lands on the ground. I decide to leave the chaos and walk over to Abang Jo. He greets me with a smile. His teeth yellow from years of smoking his favourite rokok daun.
Nothing is more important to me now than to purchase the box. I quietly bring the box to Abang Jo and discuss the price. We quickly come to an agreement and the items are finally mine. I leave the crowd behind and head towards my car. I can breathe easier now.
The only time Peranakan maidens are officially allowed outside is during Chap Goh Meh. The girls put on their best outfits and take to the streets in cars or rickshaws with an elderly female family member tagging along as chaperone. This is the only time when the prospective wooer can see the girl of his dreams. Was this the way the couple in the photograph met? Or was theirs an arranged marriage?
My friend and I are just about half way through our retail therapy at Harbour City when we come across ALMA Portuguese grill. We look at each other and the same thought crosses our minds. We have been planning to hop over to Macau the next day just to sample some authentic Portuguese food. After weighing the pros and cons, we decide to walk in. If the food taste as good as they look in the menu then we can skip the planned day trip. We are filled with excitement at the prospect of getting an additional day to explore Hong Kong.
Clams bulhao pato is distinctively Portuguese dish having being named after the 19th century poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato. The poet was said to have enjoyed his food and often wrote about these molluscs in his work. These fresh and fragrant shellfish are best enjoyed by adding a bit of the lemon and herb mixture from the bottom of the pot. I am as happy a clam by the time I finally reach the bottom.
We end our meal with the baked duck rice with chorizo. While the chorizo slices are seen at the surface, I have to dig deep to find the tender duck pieces in the midst of the baked yellow rice. The slightly curled chorizo is a good indication that the dish has been cooked perfectly. My friend and I finish the last grains from the circular baking dish and we are glad we decided to eat here. Having crossed Portuguese food from our list and saving at least 10 hours of our time, we can now make time to visit the fishing village in Lantau Island that would have been otherwise omitted.
ALMA Portuguese Grill
Relaxing with great views of Victoria Harbour.
It is very common to hear visitors in Sentosa talk about the exorbitant prices of food. In general, outlets here charge a premium over the same type of food that can be found in other parts of Singapore. The food quality is also nothing much to shout about. So it is a pleasant surprise when I recently found a place that offers authentic local cuisine at very reasonable prices. Furthermore, it is just a stone's throw away from the popular Siloso Beach!
Honestly, I am not excited when it comes to looking for food in Sentosa. However, everything changes when I come across the Good Old Days restaurant, located just opposite the Wings of Time main entrance. Externally, the restaurant looks a bit like a large black and white colonial era bungalow. Coupled with its nostalgic sounding name, this place conjures up images of yesteryears when Sentosa was then known as called Pulau Blakang Mati. This strategically positioned island just off the southern Singapore coast, used to serve as the backbone of the British military command back in the days leading up to World War II.
My chicken rice comes in a circular tray with individual compartments for the dishes. I take a spoonful of rice first. I want to taste it plain. The rice grains are fragrant, fluffy and not too greasy. It is comparable to one I tried at the famous Maxwell Road hawker centre. The chicken pieces are juicy and go very well with the dark soy sauce, crushed ginger and garlic chilli sauces. The soup is flavourful though slightly sour. The lightly sautéed green leafy vegetables in oyster sauce are crunchy and their flavour is further enhanced by the crispy deep fried shallot toppings.
