The final 15Malaysia : ROJAK

As a nation of 52 years old (or 46 years old, according to some) we have been going through a lot, as is other countries in the world. Being of mixed races, that is a bit unique as only a few other countries can boast of having so many races that we need more than just a choice of one or two whenever we fill out a form (which is a controversy of its own).

As a lawyer, whose association is called the Bar Council, I was invited by them to witness and participate in so many of their programs and outreach. I actually has different opinion than most of the people who sits in the position of power within the Bar Council. My partner did became a committee member of a lesser association affiliated to the Bar Council, which is the our state Bar Committee. It didn't help us a lot as we need to go against the government in so many way that our business which rely on them might be affected (we managed to dodge a few bullets) that we decided none of us will be involved with them anymore. That is why most of them are criminal lawyers or lawyers who deals with the courts as they do not rely on government agencies like we do (except the court which is not directly under the government).

Why my opening statement is so long if I was just going to post a short film called Rojak? Rojak is so hard to be translated as it is a Malaysian food which can only be translated as 'MIXED'. It mixed anything into a bowl then is topped with a concoction best described as curry though some Rojak uses other concoction as its toppings. Rojak is so Malaysian that it is sometimes used to described a person of eclectic races. In this short film, a Rojak seller, speaking in Tamil tell his side of story of Malaysian life, seeing the good, the bad, the ugly, the riot, the theft, the fight, the love, the understanding, the misunderstanding and all that life has to offer at the roadside stall which he sells his Rojak. In the end, all comes together to enjoy the food on offer, the great Malaysian ice-breaker. Lawyers do the same too, fight in court, then have a drink at the canteen.

ROJAK

by Suleiman Brothers