To Cease, Abruptly

EULOGY"look at this ocean of minds... if we don't swim in it, why are we here for?"

- Yasmin Ahmad (1958-2009)

On the very day I got to know she suffered a stroke, I went online and sent her a get-well message via Facebook. Dedicating all my prayers in hope for her speedy recovery, it was to my disbelieved that she lost the battle and finally succumbed to death within hours after the collapse. I was devastated, ironically not so much of the tragic death, but that my message to her will never reach and that her inspiring messages conveyed through her artistic work will no longer deliver. This incident leads to a peculiar notion of how sudden death brings an end to our ‘work’ while some of these unfinished ones become abandon, unattended or remain idle, indefinitely. It is the idea of how craving survives life and that taking away of life disabled craving. The unwilling cessation of craving is then seen too brutal, unforgiving and beyond acceptance.

To reflect on how life could sometimes end so abruptly is to understand how fragile, temporary and hollow it is, yet we continue to live with strong attachment. Perhaps what remain at the end of the day is our contribution, the invaluable gift that is seemingly imprint for the appreciation of others manifested through the work. It is therefore the sudden death of Yasmin that breaks the silence of her continuous attempt to question and provoke the sensitive issues in Malaysia. Infamous indeed for her often unpolished yet poignant approach in film-making, she has attracted endless controversies particularly in respect of her frank discussion on sex, racial, religion and cultural themes.

Driven by her undying passion and through the medium of art, she restlessly challenges stereotypical Malaysians to open up and sight for the possibility of going beyond the current standing. She never fail to encourage the society to work against established norms for the betterment, a conscious perhaps already ingrained within but left suppressed or unspoken for fear of social stigma.

All her interracial romance and family-themed films attempt to explore the essence of the core and taken-for-granted assumptions among Malaysian. Her works bring us away from the continual examination and magnification of racial, religious and cultural differences but to realize and appreciate our common identity as mere human who can righteously love and be loved regardless of ideology and attribute differences.

It is always the case that when death strikes, our ego and skin colour ceases to matter, enemies turn to friends and we look not our differences but begin to cherish our similarities. Too often we conflict with our love ones only to know that if they no longer exist, we would deeply regret our mistreatment towards them and yearn to have done things differently, if time can unwind. Indeed, regret and guilt are the most difficult emotions to cope with and the possibility of a sudden death reminds us to live nobly and compassionately while we still can.

It is perhaps her ambitious attempt to educate, instill and perpetuate the idea of harmony in all different angles, and love and forgiveness being the ultimate key messages she tries to communicate in her films and advertisements. For that Yasmin, your works of art will be thoughtfully and deeply missed. Al-Fatihah.

PS: This post is exclusively dedicated to my best friend whom I care and love. I hereby sincerely apologize for all the mistakes done, strongly believing they were unintentional and of pure ignorance.