PURA-PURA-HAMIR SOHIB

Pada 27 September lalau, seorang teman menjemputku untuk menghadiri sebuah pameran lukisan di Valentine Willie gallery di Keppel Distripark. Nama pameran ini agak unik kerana Tajuknya TUKARGANTI membuat aku ingin tahu lebih lanjut mengenai pelukis yang akan ikut serta. ANtara pelukis yang aku kenal ialah Hamir Soib, dari Malaysia. Mengenai Karyanya : Bila tiba di dewan pameran, aku terkesan dengan karya beliau yang berukuran 3 x 3 meter yang begitu besar sekali impaknya. Sekali imbas aku sangkakan beliau seorang conservationist ataupun terlibat dalam pemeliharaan binatang-binatang yang semakin pupus. Dan dari jarak beberapa meter, aku rasakan kura-kura lukisan ini unik kerana ia jenis yang datang dari Pulau Galipoli.
Tapi bila aku membaca tajuk pada lukisan itu, perpekstif aku berubah seratus peratus. Tajuk lukisan kura-kuranya ialah Pura-pura. Dengan pandangan yang agak misteri dari kilauan mata kura-kura itu, aku rasakan ia sebenarnya, lebih dari maksud yang ingin disampaikan.
Bila aku berbicara dengan Hamir Sohib, penilitiannya bukan setakat seekor kura-kura yang hampir pupus, tetapi lebih luas dari itu. Ia ada berkaitan dengan kehidupan kita, dalam masyarakat, dalam politik, juga dalam keluarga atau individu.
Dan dalam pameran itu, hanya hasil seni Hamir yang begiu=tu menonjol dan 'lantang bersuara'.
Selepas itu, Maman, Ajak, Sha, Daud, Hamir, Nizam, Azrin dan ramai lagi teman minum di KTM. Walaupun ketika itu kaki ku terhencut-hencut, sampai juga untuk aku melihat kura-kura raksasa yang menyelinap masuk ke Singapura.

Syabas Hamir Soib.

BELASUNGKAWA - PAK SAMAD

Komentar

Pengalaman sejenak bersama guru wartawan

By Sulaiman Jeem


WARTAWAN tokoh, Allahyarham Tan Sri Abdul Samad Ismail (1924- 2008), mengasuh ramai wartawan termasuk saya sendiri.

Sebenarnya, untuk memperkatakan susuk dan bakti Allahyarham memang banyak.

Dalam kegiatan pertubuhan, Allahyarham telah mengasaskan Persatuan Wartawan Melayu, Persatuan (kini Dewan) Perniagaan Melayu, Persatuan Penerbit Melayu, Persatuan Pekerja Cetak dan Majlis Pelajaran Melayu. Beliau juga aktif dalam menjayakan Kongres Bahasa dan Kesusateraan Melayu (1956) dan Kongres Kebudayaan Melayu di Melaka (akhir 1957-awal 1958).

Dalam bidang politik pula beliau berperanan dalam Parti Tindakan Rakyat (PAP), Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu (Umno) dan Malayan People's AntiJapanese Army (MPAJA) dan bergiat dalam gerakan menentang penjajah British.

Selama bertugas di Berita Harian (BH) Singapura (1960-1982), saya dan rakan-rakan lain menerima tugas dan arahan liputan sesuatu berita yang disampaikan kepada Encik A. Majid Ismail (Allahyarham), adiknya, sebagai ketua biro.

Kemudian apabila BH berkembang sendirian di Singapura mulai 1971, Pak Samad masih rapat dengan editornya, Haji Mustaffa Suhaimi, yang kemudian digantikan Haji Hussein Jahidin.

Antara catatan kerja yang sempat saya rakamkan:

9 OGOS 1965

Setelah diumumkan perpisahan Singapura daripada Malaysia, Perdana Menteri Lee Kuan Yew mengadakan sidang akhbarnya di televisyen Singapura.

Setelah berunding dengan wartawan The Straits Times (ST), saya menyiapkan soalan:

Apakah Singapura akan memerintah berdasarkan pemerintahan republik atau kerajaan beraja?

Soalan saya itu telah dijawab dengan panjang lebar. Umumnya, ia menyentuh berbagai-bagai kegiatan masa lalu editor BH, A. Samad Ismail, termasuk kegiatan politiknya yang dikaitkan dengan aktiviti prokomunis hingga beliau ditahan.

Siaran berita radio tengah hari itu memberitakan jawapan tersebut.

Saya terperanjat. Tidak lama kemudian editor BH menelefon dari Kuala Lumpur. Beliau ingin tahu apakah soalan yang saya kemukakan hingga menimbulkan jawapan itu.

Pak Samad kemudian meminta saya menulis penjelasan saya itu untuk Ketua Editor ST di KL. Beliau juga telah mendengarnya, ujar Pak Samad. Tetapi dalam siaran radio setelah itu, berita jawapan itu tidak diulangi.

Saya bertanya Pak Samad apakah sebabnya.

'Entahlah, aku pun tak tahu,' jawabnya.

Pada 9 Mac 1973, saya diundang menghadiri 'pertemuan' dalam ura-ura menerbitkan akhbar Jawi Utusan Asia setelah akhbar Utusan Melayu tidak dilanjutkan permit penerbitannya.

Kehadiran saya dalam 'pertemuan' itu diketahui Pak Samad. Ketua Editor ST, Encik Leslei Hoffman, juga telah mendengarnya.

Periuk nasi saya tergugat. Ada tuduhan bahawa saya cuba 'mengkhianati' BH.

Tidak lama kemudian, Pak Samad mengunjungi pejabat BH Singapura untuk menemui saya secara empat mata.

Menurut Pak Samad, Ketua Editor di Kuala Lumpur menyarankan supaya saya dipecat. Saya tegas menyatakan tidak berperanan dalam ura-ura penubuhan akhbar baru itu.

Pak Samad kemudian menasihatkan saya 'supaya jangan mengulanginya lagi'.

6 JUN 1990

Pak Samad mengalu-alukan saya dan saudara A. Ghani Hamid mengunjungi rumahnya di Petaling Jaya dalam rangka menulis biografi Pak Zubir Said, tokoh muzik Melayu.

Beliau menegaskan Singapura merupakan pusat cendekiawan Melayu dalam banyak bidang. Kalau dapat, syornya, bukukan kisah kegiatan mereka kerana pasti masyarakat akan menghargainya.

Dengan kerjasama Encik Mohd Raman Daud, presiden Persatuan Wartawan Melayu (1988-99), maka terbitlah buku Aktivis Melayu/Islam Singapura pada 1997.

12 JANUARI 2008

Majlis Anugerah Tokoh Wartawan Dunia Melayu berlangsung di Hotel Armada, Petaling Jaya.

Pak Samad dipilih sebagai antara penerimanya tetapi diwakili isterinya, Puan Sri Habibah Hamid. Hadiah trofi dan sejumlah wang tunai diterima anak perempuannya, Cik Nuraina, daripada Menteri Besar Selangor, Dato' Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

Penerima lain ialah Tan Sri Mazlan Nordin (Malaysia), Haji Rosihan Anwar dan Drs Tarman Azzam (Indonesia), Haji Othman Wok dan saya (Singapura), Awang Haji Ahmad Haji Mohd Arshad dan Pengiran Hajah Fatimah Pengiran Haji Md Noor (Brunei Darussalam).

Ketika membacakan watikah Pak Samad, Encik Rijal Arbee, Timbalan Presiden Persatuan Bekas Wartawan Berita Harian Malaysia (PBWBHM), antara lain menyatakan:

'Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail terlalu banyak baktinya pada kedua-dua negara Singapura dan Malaysia: politik, kewartawanan, kesusasteraan, penulisan, kebajikan rakyat dan lain-lainnya.'

Pada buku program anugerah itu, Haji Salleh Anjah, Setiausaha Kehormat PBWBHM, menyifatkan Pak Samad:

'Beliau sering mengingatkan 'Wartawan tak mesti menunggu berita. Mereka perlu berusaha memburunya. Mereka perlu menciptakannya dengan melibatkan diri dalam pelbagai kegiatan masyarakat'.

'Ingatan itu kemudian menjadi semacam motivasi kepada setiap wartawan sama ada di Malaysia atau di Singapura. Justeru, sejak bertugas sebagai wartawan Berita Harian akhir 1962, motivasi itu telah merangsang semangat Sulaiman Jeem. Dengan motivasi itu juga beliau berusaha mendekati berbagai-bagai organisasi massa dalam menjalankan tugasnya.'

Tan Sri Mazlan Nordin (81 tahun), berucap ketika menerima anugerah itu, antara lain menyatakan 'Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail adalah seorang mentor' yang membimbingnya sehingga lancar menulis dalam bahasa Melayu dan Inggeris.

Pak Samad ialah legenda kewartawanan Nusantara, tambah Tan Sri Mazlan.

Turut menulis dalam buku program anugerah itu ialah Rosihan Anwar, 86 tahun, editor akhbar Pedoman dalam era Presiden Sukarno dan aktif menulis dalam beberapa akhbar berbahasa Indonesia, Inggeris dan Belanda sejak tahun 1943. Beliau menyifatkan Pak Samad sebagai gurunya.

Pak Samad uzur untuk hadir pada majlis itu. Tetapi pagi esoknya, beliau berkerusi roda dan ditemani Cik Nuraina dan Puan Sri Habibah, menemui sahabat akrabnya, Haji Rosihan Anwar, yang akan berceramah. Ramai sahabatnya ikut menemuinya di lobi hotel.

Pak Samad tidak begitu cam rakan-rakan yang bersalaman dengannya. Isterinyalah yang mengenalkan mereka kepada beliau:

'Inilah Encik Sulaiman dari Singapura yang terima anugerah malam tadi, hasil didikan Pak Samad.'

Pada ceramahnya, 'Memperkukuh Setiakawan Wartawan Dunia Melayu', Pak Rosihan antara lain menyatakan:

'Wartawan Melayu yang mula-mula saya kenal dalam masa Jepun ialah Samad Ismail. Kemudian barulah yang lain-lain.'

Nota: Tulisan ini sedutan daripada memoir penulis, 'Kembara Hidupku', yang masih disiapkan.




BEK

THE PASSING OF FATHER OF JOURNALISM

PAK SAMAD OBITUARY (1924 - 2008)

TAN Sri A. Samad Ismail, or Pak Samad to the many who knew him as journalist, nationalist, social historian and raconteur, was a man who lived his life the way he wanted to.

No one could tell the man - nay, some would say legend - what he should do, say, or heaven forbid, write.

Irrepressible to the point of being deemed insufferable by those who did not enjoy his wry sense of humour or colourful language that brought out the blushes in the uninitiated, he was his own man - and he never let anyone forget that.

There was many a time when the New Straits Times newsroom would resound to a loud guffaw that would reverberate within the walls for seconds, journalists there smiling knowingly to acknowledge that Pak Samad was in the house.

There he was: wiry with a full head of hair above a wide forehead and a lean and hungry look perpetually on his face except when he joked and a huge but fleeting grin broke out.

The thick and wide glasses, which often hid a penetrating stare, gave him an academic air which quickly went up in smoke when the ribald jokes began.

As smoke trailed from the ubiquitous cigarette which he dragged on hard when charged, one knew that he was deep in thought.

Of whether his rumination was about the affairs of the newsroom or the next colourful joke, no one knew.

Despite the semblance of jocularity, he was dead serious when it came to journalism and he never let anyone, especially journalists, forget it.

It was just that journalism was ingrained in the man who attained iconic status over the years among journalists and media watchers nationwide and around the world.

Arguably the best bilingual journalist Malaysia ever produced and a Ramon Magsaysay awardwinner for journalism, he could charm the boots off readers with classy prose of such depth none could ever forget.

Such was the style of the boy from Kampung Melayu, Singapore, who strode through different newsrooms from the 1940s to the early years of the 21st century, making his mark in every place.

The 1920s and 1930s left an indelible mark on his persona: there was a certain softness towards the underclass, the downtrodden and the underprivileged which refused to let him go.

His affection for those sidelined to the periphery of society was part of the man, but the surface had to be scratched to see it. It certainly showed in his writing over the years.

It was this love for the poor and neglected that would be used against him in later years by those in authority who did not want Pak Samad near the powers-that-be who had his ear.

It was also this singular element that took the Tokoh Wartawan Negara, an award he received in later years, to great heights in journalism.

Starting 67 years ago as a 17-year-old in the Japanese Occupation-run Berita Malai, he never looked back as he became editor of the war-time newspaper as a 21-year-old, a senior Utusan Melayu staffer by 30, Berita Harian editor at 34 and finally managing editor and deputy editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times Group at 49.

Even after retirement, there was no keeping him down.

He returned to the New Straits Times as editorial adviser in 1981, no less vitriolic. (Between 1976 and 1981, he was detained under the Internal Security Act for an alleged plot to garner Malay support for the Communist Party of Malaya.) He left in 1987, only to be re-appointed in 2000 as editorial adviser, with little having changed with the old man of journalism.

Few on the newsdesk can forget how he would come into the office a little after 7am daily and start work on his trusty old typewriter (he never learnt to use the computer).

The first pages to leave his desk would be about followups to stories in the morning newspaper, ending with story ideas that reporters could work on.

And that was the measure of the man: hard-working, a peoplewatcher and a journalist who was never satisfied with average writing from himself or others.

These were traits finely etched on his persona from his heady days as a cub reporter on the staff of the Utusan Melayu just before World War 2.

The British after the war knew they had trouble on their hands in the form of the young Samad who already had a following, and jailed him briefly in 1946.

But Samad was not to be restrained, the episode merely leading to closer ties with Malay nationalists and another dalliance with incarceration which saw him in jail for two years from 1951.

On his release in 1953, he returned to the Utusan Melayu but politics proved far too attractive for the nationalist who yearned for a nation without the manacles of colonialism.

He became a founding father of the People’s Action Party along with Lee Kuan Yew who, in later years, would almost sever ties with his erstwhile friend and compatriot.

Samad came back to Malaya where he worked with Berita Harian and was later to figure largely in the creation of the New Straits Times, out of the Singapore-based Straits Times.

But a part of his heart remained always in the southern island which contributed much to his worldview.

Acerbic in English and Bahasa Malaysia, his critique of life and contemporary themes as Malaysians knew them drew as many bouquets as they did brickbats.

In later years, time may have robbed him of many things but not the acuity that was second nature to Pak Samad.

In hospital in his last days, he struggled to speak when visitors came but though his mouth may have been bound by illness they knew his spirit was free as it always had been. Admittedly, he was reduced to a shadow of the man that his family, friends and colleagues had known but to them, nothing had changed.

He was still a giant who had always been larger than life.