ciNE65 V: SAMA-SAMA

SAMA-SAMA, maju ke hadapan...
What is your SINGAPURA?

I am grateful and honoured to make another film to kickstart season 5 of ciNE65 (2019). This is the 2nd time that I’ve been commissioned to do so - THE USUAL (season 4) was the first.

I have been involved with ciNE65 since season 1, ten years ago, as a mentor and jury. I hope to be involved for the long term. ciNE65 is unique from the other competitions because each season explores the Singaporean identity. I was approached by the Nexus team at MINDEF in May 2018 for a commissioned film in season 5 of the bi-annual ciNE65 film competition.

This season, the theme is SINGAPURA.

In support of the Singapore Bicentennial in 2019, the theme SINGAPURA calls on film-makers to reflect on the stories that our past generations have shared that make us Singaporean and how we want these stories to live on for future generations to come, through a 3-minute film.

From as far back as we can trace our ancestry, each of us has a story to tell. Each story a piece of the history of how this land in which we live became a nation and how we became Singaporean. Tell us your story. What did your forefathers pass down to you, and what will you want your future generations to know? What does Singapura mean to you most?

I thought hard about this. Thus I reflected on 2 very important life journeys - being raised in a Singaporean-Baweanese household and National Service, where I rediscover my roots and made many lifelong friends respectively.

The Chauffeurs

One of these traditions is the local Baweanese chauffeurs. Back in the day, the Baweanese chauffeurs were highly-regarded for their discipline that the tycoons only insisted a Baweanese to be their personal drivers. It was also said that the Baweanese chauffeurs were good at keeping secrets to some of their wayward tycoon's movements around town - even from these tycoons' respective families.

Baweanese chauffeurs had existed since the colonial era.

(courtesy of Hazrul Azhar Jamari)

 (courtesy of Hazrul Azhar Jamari)

I recall during Baweanese weddings, a handful of relatives would arrive at the wedding in luxurious European-made sedans. In the 70s-80s, much of the Baweanese community were living comfortably but not too comfortable enough to own these European sedans. Imagine the look on the faces of the polite guests and hosts when these cars arrive. Nevertheless the grandiose was received good-naturedly. The more outspoken but well-meaning relatives would tease at the drivers for their luxury.

Remarks such as, "Wah, mak mon-char dhal-luk...!!", would go fast, furious and loud.

It was only later when I was older I found out that the male relatives who arrived in these sedans with their families, were actually chauffeurs.

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This is Haji Akhmari, a first generation migrant to Singapore from Bawean Island, Indonesia. Like many others from the little island (north of Surabaya), Hj Akhmari sailed (!) on the rough Java sea to seek fortune in Singapore - to build a better life for himself and his family. Like many others, he had little/no education, except life’s hard knocks topped with a mindset that things Will be better here in Singapore. It was a hard life but what kept him going was that regardless of the situation, this adopted homeland was still better than the island in his memory. Hj Akhmari found a job as a driver. It was the best job he had. A job he held on until he retired. He raised many kids in Singapore. They attended good schools and had good jobs. And they become good Singaporeans. Hj Akhmari was not just a “driver”. He was a chauffeur, who drove many post-colonial tycoons in Singapore. Name one famous tycoon in Singapore and highly likely Hj Akhmari had driven him. Hj Akhmari was a unique chauffeur because he belonged to a special breed (and much-sought after) of chauffeurs that dated back to the colonial days. You see, other than that famous tradition of working at the Turf Club, many first generation local Baweanese in Singapore worked as chauffeurs. They were special because they took their “jobs” very seriously. In fact, so seriously that the cars they drove became their second homes. To a Baweanese, a home reflects the state of his well-being. A happy home reflects a good family and a good family reflects good lineage. Baweanese are house proud. Thus a clean, welcoming car is like an inviting home. A boss needs an inviting home after a long day at work. A Baweanese driver took care of these needs Very well. Hj Akhmari may not have realised much his esteemed profession contributed to Singapore’s nation-building. I am glad to know many, humble 1st generation Baweanese like Hj Akhmari who, regardless of the profession (there were hundreds of chauffeurs like him), worked proudly, professionally and became Very Good at it. #reeljuice #akandatang #filmmaking #filmmaker #storytelling #storyteller #sg #iremembersg #sghistory #history #bawean #nusantara

A post shared by Sanif Olek (@sanifoo) on Sep 12, 2018 at 4:30pm PDT

The Turf Club
The other famous tradition that was much synonymous with the local Baweanese were horse wranglers and stable boys or grooms. It originated at the stables of the Singapore Turf Club, before the Club moved to its present location at Kranji from Turf Club Road at Bukit Timah (and Race Course Road near Tekka Market before that). The profession was so widespread it had its own little community that mushroomed into multi-generational Baweanese families from the first-generation of horse wranglers and stable boys. This close-knit community at Turf Club Road even produced a prominent Singaporean champion jockey, Saimee Jumat.

The other consideration was from my National Service experience with the elite Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation. My first ciNE65 commissioned film, THE USUAL touched this experience briefly via its protagonist, Rosli. I decided to bring Rosli back in SAMA-SAMA to explore his journey. One may view Rosli's journey as my own semi-autobiographical journey in the Commando Formation.

I have decided from the onset that I want to feature real Commandos, albeit an NSF ones, as extras in SAMA-SAMA. It was part of the process to be authentic. Actors just won't hack it. Furthermore I think I owe it to the Formation to showcase the essence of the brotherhood. Everything in the screenplay with regards to the Commandos, ie the cold desserts, running together topless, nasi lemak, etc, are all quintessentially what we do together - they are not figments of my imagination!

When I was enlisted at Hendon Camp in the late 80s, my father was the proudest Malay father at the Boon Lay neighbourhood. Although my older brothers did their national service in the army too, no one could advise my family about my NS journey. The juvenile competitions at the common corridors and playground during childhood might have prepared me to be streetwise, but nothing could prepare me for the implications being enlisted at Hendon. I was thankful of the Commando experience. I had the full support from my buddies, who on the onset, trained together and looked out for me as one of the brothers. I learned that in time of distress, your buddies will have your back.

My take on this season's theme, SINGAPURA represents the common values such as industrious work ethics and initiative of the Baweanese enriched by traditional traits of the Commandos such as persistence, excellence and sense of brotherhood "leaving no man behind".

Recent reports about inequality and elitism in Singapore has made me wonder - how do we define a person?

Do we judge a person’s worth by how well they do in life? Do we define a person by the kind of jobs they do?

The first generation Baweanese arrived in Singapore with no formal training or education. They did menial work and became the best at their profession, ie chauffeurs, horse wranglers, nannies, etc, that future generations can be proud of. 

Watch the video below for my insights in writing SAMA-SAMA,

Raised in the blue-collar industrial estate of Jurong, it has always been about perseverance and chasing higher aspirations. I look around my neighbourhood and wonder why do people work so hard?

SAMA-SAMA "The Same" and THE USUAL mirror the unique life journey of a boy from working-class neighbourhood in Jurong. It takes perseverance, of chasing one’s dreams diligently to one’s values regardless of the circumstances. I remembered how my late father reminded my siblings that regardless who we are as adults in profession, life is good as long as we become someone that is respected by the community and country.

Singapore owes its development to its cultural diversity and our common values. Perhaps the most important place to reflect on the last 200 years (and earlier) is to return to our roots – to ponder who we were and what we have become. 

Celebrate our differences. Majulah Singapura!

Thank you to EVERYONE at the Singapore Armed Forces Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF), who have made this complex filmmaking possible and supported this journey.

The challenge has been very worthwhile.