THE BIG DURIAN is a Malaysian Film by Amir Muhammad in 2003. Through this show, the audience could recall or even imagine what was the BIG issue happened in October 1987.
'AMOK' is a Malay word that can be found frequently in the show and it describes a action of one soldier, Private Adam Jaafar armed with M-16 and terrorizing the Chinese neighborhood of Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur.
This issue happened after thorny cases on 13 May 1969 which around 18 years ago. In this thorny circumstances of the time and place, Private Adam's action makes a citywide panic and rumors of racial riots.
Although there was a cast mentioned that a Sultan killed Adam's brother so he wants to take a revenge, but why Adam chose a place full of Chinese people? (Adam was a Malay soldier)
This is my question.
Plus, there were no further details on the Sultan's case.
After watching the show, Dr Carmen and the class discused about the reality of this show. Many of us think that the show and the casts were fake. However, we felt that, the story might be true and some of it might just a rumor.
The incidents happened in 1969 and 1987 show the darkest period in Malaysia. It makes me feel so sad although I'm not born in that period.
Luckily, Dr Carmen gave a lecture about the art pieces that created by Malaysia's artist which express the love towards the country.
After this lecture, I realized that art can be an important role to remind and make us remember every event happened in the country. The most important thing is, the spirit of patriotic able to arouse among the national.
