The onset of cinematic films being utilized for propaganda and mental conditioning, it seek us - the target audience - to grow some thinking caps
The drama started out well, strong attributes of characters, attached with known idiosyncrasies for a gang of flat lots - a northern-accented tomboy, a girl living with uninviting brother in law, a soccer star aspirant, a attention seeking wannabe, a school dropout bigger brother figure and a bunch of misfits,on first episode the adjacent field is gated with a large billboard announcing proposed condominium; so the kids rallied up effort to save the field from being mauled by das capitalist. I kept watching it. By second episode, we knew, the developer once lived within the blocks; the son lived there seek his way into the flats and do what Kevin Costner did in 'dancing with the wolves'. If injected with surprise twist, the kids would have kidnapped the son and demanded the cancellation of the project. But, as usual, we Malaysian are rich with sopan santun.The directors decided the quest to save the field a long and winding struggle, so be it. No hostage drama, just bad feeling in the mouth.
Then, there is people kissing on the staircase, children being beaten the crap out and ran away to their neighboring block, irresponsible double parking made someone honking like mad. Never expect MILFs arguing with her son about who he should choose to marry, mothers in JAPK would tell her son to marry to somebody that doesn't burn a hole on fixed deposits for deity alone.
JAPK irked me to question Astro intention of airing such drama? Who is brilliant enough to pitch such idea for Astro when their audience craved escapism Malay-conglomerate drama particularly with Lofas in thighs and leggings? The motivation of doing such cerita kemasyarakatan? It strike me that a minor state issue involving an athletic field in Kelana Jaya is in discussion of being handed over to a developer for a fee.
Ah! ( FYI, Jangan Ambil Padang Kami loosely translates into Don't Take Our Field ) This must been the usual ploy, the satellite networkmimicking other media lapdogs are shamelessly professed in doing; throwing support for current government and trashing the Malaysian mind to the lowest seabed. But fair indeed, my early observation gotten me salute Astro for playing ( if intended to ) it with more grace and gusto than current media lapdogs. Jangan Ambil Padang Kami is discreet in its own way, even though the Kelana Jaya field acquisition bid is not a hotly debatable issue as water supply issue or UNISEL hostel management issue in Selangor. But, doing it this way - airing a once-a-week drama has a profound effect. Recreating a scenario of pulled privilege low-income people can paint the current local government in a bad manner. If I can recall, there was short lived Salam Pantai Timur during Mahathir era firing cynical shots at an Islamist party. Perhaps, Jangan Ambil Padang Kami might be a victim of appearing at the wrong time - as election is looming just around the corner - such creative license can be skewed perceived with partisan politics
Ah! ( FYI, Jangan Ambil Padang Kami loosely translates into Don't Take Our Field ) This must been the usual ploy, the satellite networkmimicking other media lapdogs are shamelessly professed in doing; throwing support for current government and trashing the Malaysian mind to the lowest seabed. But fair indeed, my early observation gotten me salute Astro for playing ( if intended to ) it with more grace and gusto than current media lapdogs. Jangan Ambil Padang Kami is discreet in its own way, even though the Kelana Jaya field acquisition bid is not a hotly debatable issue as water supply issue or UNISEL hostel management issue in Selangor. But, doing it this way - airing a once-a-week drama has a profound effect. Recreating a scenario of pulled privilege low-income people can paint the current local government in a bad manner. If I can recall, there was short lived Salam Pantai Timur during Mahathir era firing cynical shots at an Islamist party. Perhaps, Jangan Ambil Padang Kami might be a victim of appearing at the wrong time - as election is looming just around the corner - such creative license can be skewed perceived with partisan politics
A mirror of Malaysian tragedy
Who lives in urban flats anyway? The ones that drives politicians crony around, needs a house, and declare a home in flats. The ones that tutor the ministers children around before they take their flight to study in the Western realm has their family under the roof of flats. The ones that cater ketua cawangan/ketua DUN food for their grand kenduri eventually stays in a flat. In short, JAPK is the mirror of a Malaysian tragedy resulted in a vindicated pocket of society. They faced dangers of crime, watches faded opportunity in their face and finds it hard to tackle the enormous traffic jams of social mobility.
The character Nik, 15 year old, a footballer aspirant seeking place into a sport school, was devastated for the usual field been acquired for development. In reality, he don't have to be that devastated. A taken over communal field is non issue, no sweat for Nik, but it’s the other factor widely familiar in local football runnings. The absolutely power owns and manage the football governing body, making it impervious to change for a fear of murka. So, Nik had to bid farewell to his undying ambition and carry on with life less bound to feudal control. Juju dreams of being a celebrity? forget it - chubby minister children can gain insta-fame with their unlimited source of money and fat 'connections'. The bureaucratic red tape made rakyat marhaen complains had to swerve through 20-30 layers of pegawais, and before it reaches the power that can make significant change (which always gone to meetings) by half layers; momentum might have been gone. JAPK is a reflection of how powerless people had become due to the failing of our nation . In a nutshell, negara berkebajikan is not a bad idea after all.
Suhan production, led by Rosyam Nor; a veteran actor knew his way to avoid the tricky path of impartial artistic expression. He might be brilliant to provoke minds into thinking one way- JAPK as a propagandistic drama - but in another way which had me reevaluate and personally re-categorize JAPK as a reflection of reality. Powers that previously seek themselves into position upon promises for better well being. A reality check for them. A warning about impending day which powers could bow and pray 'Jangan Ambil Kuasa Kami' for their failure to fulfill promises or in other words - janji dicapati. One way or another to look it, JAPK is totally a light hearted old school tale. It reminds me karangan lower primary school, usually about an unscrupulous kilang that releases toxic dump into the river, we drafted a protest letter to Jabatan Alam Sekitar for their swift action. But the age of innocence is long over. We could say any Jabatan is looking for 'willing' giver to kau-tim. The seven kids in Jangan Ambik Padang Kami is a brave but borderline in vain.
For the scriptwriters and producers, kudos for being impartial and remained fixated to fundamental issues of urban residential characteristics and public responses. The casts had done a good job, it seem the drama had no script, very casual ( bersahaja ) dialogue - fitting a flat scenario rather than a Malay-conglomerate meeting room power tussle. This may be the last ever fictional depiction of Kuala Lumpur urban housing dwellers. As we are aware, Kuala Lumpur is devoured alive by foreigners, there is no next generation of the present generation KLites. JAPK is a relic for our grandchildren of how locals lost everything within the concrete jungle. While politicians? they don’t even care, their retirement home and grave well is outside of this jinxed land of Malaysia.
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