THE holiday season is always the best time to watch TV shows. I am not sure if others will agree with me, but I spend an enormous amount of time in front of the small screen watching football, Netflix movies and Astro, too.
Right now, my favourite pick from Astro is a Malaysian-made TV series about politics.
The political thriller is aptly titled Kudeta or coup d’état, the French word for a coup or a sudden overthrow of a government by a small group.
It’s fictional but it’s too close to reality. Talking about art imitating life, but the politics is just too familiar. Perhaps, even too disturbingly true.
There is a former prime minister who is now in jail, a coalition government, an Islamist party with a hypocritical leader, a liberal politician who doesn’t understand compromise, and a female PM with a marriage issue.
Then, there is also a corrupt, manipulative and ambitious deputy who can’t wait to take over from his lady boss.
The fictional country is Masraya. Not Malaysia. But there is always this disclaimer in any movie – if there is any resemblance to any characters or persons or countries, it’s purely coincidental as it is a work of fiction.
No animals were hurt in the production of the movie either, although I haven’t seen any pet cats or dogs.
New calling: Maszlee playing jailed PM Jamal Banna in ‘Kudeta’. — Photo courtesy of Dr Maszlee Malik’s Twitter
Diversity in movies is, of course, now encouraged. Masraya is a multiracial and multireligious country, and the characters mostly speak English and Malay.
Sorry, I can’t use Bahasa Malaysia here, but I supposed Bahasa Masraya would be acceptable.
But here’s the surprise – the jailed PM is played by none other than Dr Maszlee Malik, the former education minister.
Watching Maszlee on TV as an actor seems surreal. He is no longer in the news, but I am watching him as an actor.
And in orange prison-garb and sometimes in handcuffs, it was chilling as it reminded me of a real-life PM who is now serving his sentence for corruption. And that’s in real life.
Seriously, Maszlee acts really well. I know most successful politicians have acting skills. Some make natural stand-up comics without them realising it, but I am complimenting Maszlee in good faith. Although he is behind bars, in the show, of course, ex-PM Jamal Banna is still able to plan and execute his political moves.
Come to think of it, Maszlee was previously the MP for Simpang Renggam, which has a sprawling prison. Perhaps he may have carried out serious research before taking up his acting role.
Then, of course, there is actor Nam Ron, who takes on the role of Hamid, the leader of a religious-based party, who was blackmailed into an attempt to overthrow the lady PM, Mariam Imran, played by Vanidah Imran, because of a compromising situation with a Caucasian-looking woman.
The role of the liberal politician was played by Sangeeta Krishnasamy. She is the Finance Minister, who still thinks and acts like an Opposition leader although her party is already in government!
She is hot-headed and unprepared to compromise or make deals, and she is still taking part in protests.
The scheming Rahman is played by Adlin Aman Ramlee, while Penangite Chelsia Ng plays the revengeful, seductive lover of the PM’s husband.
Koe Yeet is Flora, an investigative reporter who is seeking to find out who is behind the series of murders, mostly females, and it seems to be politically linked.
I won’t reveal too much anymore of this TV series, which is certainly a cutting-edge Malaysian production.
Using dialogue in BM and English, in an urban setting, the tempo is just too real. That made me stay glued to it and kept waiting for the coming episodes to know the ending.
Astro Shaw has also produced One Cent Theft about a financial-strapped bank officer who hacks the bank’s system and steals one cent from unsuspecting customer accounts – with a total amounting to millions – at the fictional Hock Hua bank.
Like Kudeta, it has the same urban flavour, using both Malay and English with a multiracial cast.
Both shows are produced by Raja Jastina Raja Arshad, the vice-president of Malay, Nusantara Business and head of Astro Shaw.
And guess what? There is a cameo appearance by former banker Tan Sri Nazir Razak, in One Cent Thief.
What’s with these Malaysian personalities, who seem to have taken up acting now? It appears there is still glamour in post-political and corporate life.
Now, back to my TV screen – will there be a Masraya 2.0 Move to overthrow the PM?
Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 35 years in various capacities and roles. He is now group editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer. On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
