'M For Malaysia' is not just about Mahathir

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the central character in M For Malaysia, a documentary on Pakatan Harapan’s historic 14th general election win, but the story is not just about him.

In its final scenes, viewers watch as his swearing-in as prime minister is met with ecstatic flag-waving Malaysians, but the last word is interestingly accorded to lawyer and activist Ambiga Sreenevasan.

She solemnly advises Harapan to be brave in implementing reforms after the rakyat bravely voted them in.

According to Ineza Roussille, one of the directors of M for Malaysia, this is to serve as a reminder to the government.

“We deliberately decided to end (the documentary) with the people outside the Istana Negara and with Ambiga’s statement.

“As much as it is a moment for all of us to be proud of, it’s also a reminder to the government of what it took for them to get there (and) what it took for all of us to get there,” she told the media during the premiere in Kuala Lumpur last night.

Roussille (photo), who is Mahathir’s granddaughter, directed the feature with Dian Lee.

Her mother and activist Marina Mahathir served as its executive producer with Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ruby Yang as its creative producer.

Marina told Malaysiakini that the film crew had tailed the Harapan chairperson around the country from before the GE14 campaigning period began, to several days after he had been installed as the premier.

The decision to make a documentary was made retrospectively.

“No (it's not about Mahathir), it's about Malaysians and about the GE14 election campaign [...]

“It records a very important moment in our history [...] everyone thinks it’s a puff piece about my dad, but it’s not. I think it is very objective,” she said.

The 90-minute feature chronicles the events leading up to May 9 last year, and is interspersed with flashbacks to Ops Lalang where more than 100 dissidents were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), Anwar Ibrahim’s imprisonment following his sacking as deputy prime minister, and the subsequent Reformasi movement.

Aside from interviews with prominent Harapan leaders, the documentary also offers a personal look at Mahathir’s life behind his GE14 election rallies and speeches.

A highlight was his tender, often humorous, interactions with his wife of 63 years Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.

‘The bad parts’

For Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, watching "M For Malaysia" reminded him of the hope which Malaysians carried during GE14.

“When I look at that, I don’t want to let them down. I feel like, even more (than before), the burden is on me and that ‘I have to work harder’.

“I feel that more MPs should come and watch because these are the people we fought for [...] so much hope has been placed on us, we can’t get this wrong,” he told Malaysiakini when met after the premiere.

Mahathir found the film “very factual” as it documented the “bad parts” of his first tenure as PM, aside from Harapan’s stunning victory.

However, he foresaw an uphill battle for Harapan in GE15.

“You see, in this election (GE14) the main issue was (former PM) Najib Abdul Razak. In GE15… people will be assessing the performance of Harapan. And it's not going to be easy, the second time is never easy.

“[...] We have to perform. There are certain things that we may not be able to do immediately, all these will take time. Certainly, trying to recover the financial losses will take many, many years.”

Ticket sales for the documentary’s limited screening - from Sept 12 to 15 - have commenced at 37 cinemas across all states.

It claims to be the first Malaysian-made documentary ever to be screened nationwide.

All sale proceeds of the CD containing its original soundtrack will be channelled to NGO #Undi18.

Among those who attended last night’s star-studded premiere were Lee’s father, tycoon Lee Kim Yew, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong, Ambiga, as well as former ministers, Rafidah Aziz and Daim Zainuddin. - Mkini