August 03, 2011
AUG 3 — By now, many of us would have been aware of the “public service” advertisements that have been pulled by 8TV.
For those who have not seen it yet, the awesome “public service” advertisements could be accessed via a report on The Malaysian Insider yesterday.
It is amazing that some people could take leave of their intelligence in full public view nowadays. And we seem to be doing it with the consistency of Datuk Nicole Davids in the squash courts. Syabas.
The thing that struck me was the nonchalant attitude shown by Media Prima chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar when the advertisements were creating a storm in cyberspace yesterday. He was reported as saying, on his Twitter account:
“Chill guys. Don’t overthink the ads. Its written, produced and directed by a multi-racial team. If you overanalyse, anything will be bad.” [sic]
As a media man, he should know that a message-driven public service advertisement would, at some point in time, be dissected and analysed by the very target of those advertisements. And when the advertisements turn stereotyping into an art, surely they will touch on raw nerves.
One does not have to “overthink” about those advertisements to find them offensive and insensitive. The fact that it was produced by a “multi-racial team” does not negate the somewhat insidious stereotyping contained in the advertisements.
The advice to “chill out” was, to me, even more insulting than the advertisements themselves.
Speaking of insults, I am sure many Muslims would find those advertisements insulting as well. How weak are we, Muslims? We would be breaking our fasts when we see other people eat or drink? And will we get hard-ons at a pasar Ramadan when we see girls in sleeveless tank-tops showing their armpits, eh?
The ritual of fasting is meant to cleanse not only our physical body but also our soul. We are supposed to be humbled by the experience of fasting. We are supposed to learn the sufferings of those who are not as lucky as we are, those who do not have food and drinks like us day in day out throughout the year, as opposed to only 30 days or so a year.
Why are we so weak, so much so that we have to ask people of other faiths not to drink or eat in front of us? For God’s sake, the Prophet and his followers fought the Badar battle on the 17th day of Ramadan in the year 624. And here, now, in 2011, we seek the non-Muslims’ understanding not to eat in front of us in Ramadan. Awesome.
I just love seeing how the Chinese-looking girl was portrayed as a greedy person trying to make a pig of herself with all the food. If the 8TV crew could go to one of those hotels that serves the RM100++ buka puasa buffet, perhaps they would see that Muslims too put mountainous amounts of food on their plates, much of which is not consumed at the end.
There are many messages that could be delivered during Ramadan. Messages about how we all should be moderate in our buka puasa meals; about how we all should not forget the sufferings of those in poverty and those children who have to work on the streets of Chow Kit to fend for themselves; about how we all should not just think that Ramadan is all about avoiding food and drink in day time; about how we should all strive to respect each other, to treat each other with good manners and civility; about how we should all detoxify our soul from greed, corruption, intoxication with all things materials, etc etc.
Instead, we chose to demean our neighbours and friends with insensitive and almost senseless stereotyping this Ramadan. Just a few days ago I remember our Honourable Prime Minister preaching for acceptance instead of tolerance. What have the people at 8TV learned from that exhortation?
Well, the advertisements have been pulled out. The chief operating officer of Media Prima had reportedly said:
“Ok guys. We’re pulling out the ads. Thank you very much for your concern.”
He followed up by asking:
“And now to more important things... Does a horn section sound better with 4 trombones? Or would just 3 trombones be enough?”
Yes, life goes on, isn’t it? There are much more important things in life.
As for the horn section with three or four trombones, I would surely hope 8TV is not going to air a programme on it. Because I fear they might just go and inspect some horns on some cars and air their findings. — art-harun.blogspot.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
For those who have not seen it yet, the awesome “public service” advertisements could be accessed via a report on The Malaysian Insider yesterday.
It is amazing that some people could take leave of their intelligence in full public view nowadays. And we seem to be doing it with the consistency of Datuk Nicole Davids in the squash courts. Syabas.
The thing that struck me was the nonchalant attitude shown by Media Prima chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar when the advertisements were creating a storm in cyberspace yesterday. He was reported as saying, on his Twitter account:
“Chill guys. Don’t overthink the ads. Its written, produced and directed by a multi-racial team. If you overanalyse, anything will be bad.” [sic]
As a media man, he should know that a message-driven public service advertisement would, at some point in time, be dissected and analysed by the very target of those advertisements. And when the advertisements turn stereotyping into an art, surely they will touch on raw nerves.
One does not have to “overthink” about those advertisements to find them offensive and insensitive. The fact that it was produced by a “multi-racial team” does not negate the somewhat insidious stereotyping contained in the advertisements.
The advice to “chill out” was, to me, even more insulting than the advertisements themselves.
Speaking of insults, I am sure many Muslims would find those advertisements insulting as well. How weak are we, Muslims? We would be breaking our fasts when we see other people eat or drink? And will we get hard-ons at a pasar Ramadan when we see girls in sleeveless tank-tops showing their armpits, eh?
The ritual of fasting is meant to cleanse not only our physical body but also our soul. We are supposed to be humbled by the experience of fasting. We are supposed to learn the sufferings of those who are not as lucky as we are, those who do not have food and drinks like us day in day out throughout the year, as opposed to only 30 days or so a year.
Why are we so weak, so much so that we have to ask people of other faiths not to drink or eat in front of us? For God’s sake, the Prophet and his followers fought the Badar battle on the 17th day of Ramadan in the year 624. And here, now, in 2011, we seek the non-Muslims’ understanding not to eat in front of us in Ramadan. Awesome.
I just love seeing how the Chinese-looking girl was portrayed as a greedy person trying to make a pig of herself with all the food. If the 8TV crew could go to one of those hotels that serves the RM100++ buka puasa buffet, perhaps they would see that Muslims too put mountainous amounts of food on their plates, much of which is not consumed at the end.
There are many messages that could be delivered during Ramadan. Messages about how we all should be moderate in our buka puasa meals; about how we all should not forget the sufferings of those in poverty and those children who have to work on the streets of Chow Kit to fend for themselves; about how we all should not just think that Ramadan is all about avoiding food and drink in day time; about how we should all strive to respect each other, to treat each other with good manners and civility; about how we should all detoxify our soul from greed, corruption, intoxication with all things materials, etc etc.
Instead, we chose to demean our neighbours and friends with insensitive and almost senseless stereotyping this Ramadan. Just a few days ago I remember our Honourable Prime Minister preaching for acceptance instead of tolerance. What have the people at 8TV learned from that exhortation?
Well, the advertisements have been pulled out. The chief operating officer of Media Prima had reportedly said:
“Ok guys. We’re pulling out the ads. Thank you very much for your concern.”
He followed up by asking:
“And now to more important things... Does a horn section sound better with 4 trombones? Or would just 3 trombones be enough?”
Yes, life goes on, isn’t it? There are much more important things in life.
As for the horn section with three or four trombones, I would surely hope 8TV is not going to air a programme on it. Because I fear they might just go and inspect some horns on some cars and air their findings. — art-harun.blogspot.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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