Pendatang Shines Light On Dangers Of Segregation

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FILM REVIEW | Malaysia’s first crowdfunded film titled “Pendatang” (Immigrant), was made available globally yesterday at 9pm (Malaysian time) on YouTube.
Within 18 hours of its release, Amir Muhammad, one of the producers of the movie took to Facebook and said the film garnered over 100,000 views.
At less than one hour and 40 minutes, the story moves along at an even pace and most of what is going on is picked up through conversations between characters.
After watching the film, I remembered what an old colleague once said about how it is hard to write a review for a good film, but words just flow when the film is bad.
And yes, I found it hard to write a review for “Pendatang”. It is no cinematic masterpiece in terms of scale but it carries a powerful message.
No doubt the action scenes could have been better, some actors weren't up to mark and yes, they did have to cut a lot of corners because of their modest budget.
But at the heart of it, it is a story about making important choices in regard to letting hate divide us.
Creativity and a good story are the foundations of “Pendatang”, a film that warns us of where we as a society could be heading if we are not careful.
The movie begins with a public service announcement that under Section 1 (6) of the Segregation Act, any contact with a race other than one's own is deemed detrimental to the harmony and stability of the federation and is thus strictly prohibited.
Anyone caught breaking this law would be sent to prison for no less than 25 years.
Next, we see an ethnic Chinese family of four being taken to a new place to live that is surrounded by high walls.
They are brought to their new dwelling - an old kampung house and the local militia led by Ho (Nicholas Ho Davis), who comes across as a despot.
Husband Wong (Fredy Chan) is eager to please and looks forward to a new life, while wife Shan (Mayjune Tan), who voted against segregation, is not too keen on this new life.
As Shan looks around her “new home”, it is obvious that the previous occupants left in a hurry.
Kindness during turbulent times
When their son Bobby (Kyzer Tou) spots something in the rafters, the family initially dismiss it as an animal. However, daughter Xin (Shareen Yeo) sees a young Malay girl (Qaidah Mahar) raiding their refrigerator and calls her parents.
Wong wants to hand the girl over to the militia but Shan puts her foot down. They reached a compromise to get the child smuggled out within days.
As the couple try to hide the child and find a way to get her back to her people, the children form a bond with her and even start calling the girl Panda.
However, danger lurks within the community where they thought they would be safe.
We learn how segregation came about via conversations between the protagonists. It all began with an incident referred to as 927 (Sept 27 but no indication of the year) when racial riots broke out after tensions went out of control following a traffic accident.
The citizens, instigated by politicians, voted yes to segregation and now have to live within their community and not mix with others.
Even the matter of halal food was brought up.
A particularly heartbreaking event takes place between Wong and his co-driver, the rough-around-the-edges Aunty Khoo (Julie Choo), whose son went against her wishes and married a Malay.
The most noteworthy character is Botak (Grace Ng), the only member of the militia who has any moral integrity. Her tragic backstory and the important decisions Botak makes later in the story make her relatable.
The film has its flaws. Some key messages could have been conveyed better by actors. The lack of extra time to make it seem that there is a community here is jarring, but then again, it does add to the isolation of the community.
And the sudden appearance of a couple of Indian characters towards the end seemed forced.
The one thing I would say about this film is that it depicts segregation in different ways. Segregation between races; between those in power and those powerless; and those who believe in moving on and those who hang on to hate.
Overall “Pendatang” is a good effort by director Ng Ken Kin and writer Lim Boon Siang. We need more films like this to spark discussions about race relations.
Considering its response, perhaps more local filmmakers might opt to release their films via social media or streaming services to present their stories the way they want to instead of undergoing bureaucratic hurdles. - Mkini

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