Rest in peace, you crazy lovable cow.
I trust you will be watching over your parents, husband and hordes of children from wherever you’ll be. It’s scarcely 24 hours since you left and they already miss you terribly. Your mother is taking it particularly badly. She refused to leave your grave earlier today though she had not slept for days. She was still there when I left.
Anyway, my phone has not stopped ringing. Commiserations, condolences and assorted newshounds seeking sound-bites. I gratefully accepted the first two and turned away the last. In fact, I got a little short with a reporter at the mosque who wanted an obituary quote when my head was still spinning from watching the undertakers move your body into the hearse all wrapped in shroud. I mean, what the fuck happened to respect for the dead?
You can’t blame them I guess. The country is abuzz with news that one of her brightest has gone. You’ve been all over the front pages and someone just told me that 8TV is doing a tribute on you as we speak. But I am not going to watch it though. I am not yet ready to leave this space where I can be alone with you.
Elza messaged me on Facebook earlier to say that she is left with a big vacant hole in her heart now that you are gone. Poor thing - she’s been strong for everyone all day and is now left to fend for herself at 2am. So I told her that the hole is where your ghost will, once it has unpacked and settled in, fill up her heart and inspire her to live a fuller life than she would otherwise do. I hope I am right. If I am not, then there will be an awful lot of people walking around with unfilled holes in their hearts. Not so pretty.
By the way, I finally got around to watching Yojiro Takita’s ‘Departures’. I am not surprised that you kept badgering me to watch it. It is a very beautiful film. I suppose I could succumb to temptation and speculate upon how you loved a film about death shortly before you decided to die on us - but that would be bullshit – because the film is really about how to live. I know you loved it exactly like the way you loved ‘I Go’ - because it is about those who are staying rather than those who have gone.
I am sorry I never got round to showing you the ‘making of’ film I shot and edited for ‘Chocolate’. Unless you possessed super human powers whilst in a coma, you wouldn’t have seen the trailer of the film I put up on the 15Malaysia Facebook Page either. Anyway - it’s too late to show them to you now - so I’ll just have to go with the assumption that you approve of them. Either that, or you have my permission to call me at 3am again, as you did when you first heard ‘I Go’ and wanted to use it for ‘Talentime’.
Still, I am glad that I did get a chance to reconcile with you your decision to use the abstract ‘philosophical’ ending of ‘Chocolate’ rather than the more accessible ‘political’ ending. It took me a couple of weeks to get your point – i.e. that politics is useless without compassion – but better slow than dead, as they say…
Better slow than dead. Haw.
Lame joke aside, I do hope you’ll find time to politely ask the big guy upstairs to stop sending so many political charlatans and opportunists to this lovely country of ours. You once told me that you would cry if I were to emigrate out of frustration like so many of our best and brightest - well, now that you’ve buggered off and left us, we could do with as much help from the Almighty as possible. Tell him I’ll give up smoking if he agreed to send a few more compassionate and gutsy dreamers like you instead.
Oh well, I shouldn’t ramble on. You probably have a boat to catch or something. Please give my regards to my grandma if you see her. Tell her I am doing okay though I recently lost a friend to the ferryman…
Be safe on your way.
Miss you already,
Your Pedro.
[ Published by Pete Teo 07/26/09 in STUFF ] [ RSS Entries ][ RSS Comments ]
Love you both!
I am not Malaysian and I didn’t know Yasmin at all. But I was living in Kuala Lumpur during the cultural and artistic turmoil surrounding the “approval” of Sepet. I brightly remember following it, though I left before I could actually watch it or any of her works after that. And I could never find them from my end of the world.
I can say I also owe to Yasmin, among others, my attempts to understand bits of the country and the culture during my short year in Kuala Lumpur.
Beautiful and funny letter. But heartbreaking also. I will miss Kak Min. Hope you are ok Pete. Hugs.
Yes … not so pretty. I hope so, too. Take care, Pete.
Recently, I left my day by watching dvd of Sepet, Mukhsin, Talentime and part of Petronas commercial break in youtube. I’m glad as being part of something big in Malaysian Artistes for Unity’s Project. Thanks to the person who bring me through it especially to someone extraordinary in our arms. Al-Fatihah to Yasmin Ahmad. Allah s.w.t. blesses everybody. Ameen!~
wondering the meaning of respect to the death…
rip, kak yasmin..
Bro… great tribute. Met her once - saw her interacting with children and trying to get the best out of them. It was great stuff.
RIP, Yasmin.
Nice writing Pete. I enjoyed it. Eventhough I am not a big fan of Yasmin, I will also miss her unique point of view terribly.
We are very sorry to hear of the sad news.
Yesterday we watched MAFU video ” here in my home” again.
I pray her soul may rest in peace.
Hey Pete…
I am so enthralled by your flow of thoughts & so touched by your embracing words…
Gone much too soon
“Rest in Peace Kak Yasmin…& thank you.”
Deepest Condolences to her family & friends.
Beautiful tribute, Pete, although we all know that words cannot really describe nor express how Kak Yas has touched Malaysians and people in general, through her myriad special ways.
We love ya, Kak Yas. The ONE TRUE Malaysian.
this is a beautiful letter. i can’t accept the fact the she’s not here anymore. i hope, her wonderful ideas will be made even after she left. her films brought tears to my eyes and also have touched many other’s lives. wish more stories like hers will be done. she has opened many Malaysians eyes of the truth happening around us.
love you always…
We may have lost a good ’soldier’ in fighting for the freedom of ‘being’ in this country. But we will not stop till it is one day realized.
My deepest condolences.
Since the day she left the world.. i been keep on hearing “here in my home” from my mobile phone. as i download it in MTV & tone as well.. seeing on the MTV with multi-race of Malaysian people that so happy.. but when where yasmin,datuk tony,ho yuhang & u (pete) dance around, my heart seems like dun believe she really left us.. the last one i seen … Read Morethe adv that she done is for TV commerical in Singapore for Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (the funeral) it’s really so touching… :’( will be missing all her adv & movie.. YASMIN you are the best Malaysian Flim Director..
Beautiful letter P. The likes of Kak min and you are the hopes of this country. But sure as the sun rises very morning, the fall of one soldier often mean the rise of 100 in her stead. Please fight on in the unique and imaginative way only you guys know how.
My condolences to Kak Min’s family and loved ones. May she rest in peace.
I have no words but this:
“words have fallen silent like soldiers to the grave”
Malaysia is dimmer without you mak.
thanks for a beautiful tribute pete. Mak was lucky to have a friend like you. You made something awesome even more so. Please carry on with your admirable work and tenacity.
Thanks for sharing this Pete.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
‘Who for you?’ at the end of Gubra made me cry. ‘I Go’ at the end of Talentime made me cry again. Pete you must feel the loss more than anyone to have lost not just a friend but a collaborator who make magic together. Be strong my friend. Many soldiers out here who long to hear more from you. Be strong.
seriously,i never watch yasmin’s film but one day,i accidentally watched Mukhsin.it was a great movie and i dot know why i feel MALAY inside in it.
yasmin is such a superb-talented director,i always wait for petronas’ hari raya and merdeka dauy tv advertisment.a short story but full of messages..she done well!nobody cant replace her..pete,life must go on,who knows you can replace her place and make her proud of u..
hugs
-fakhrul(18yo)-
(the person who u dont even know)
Beautiful writing as usual Pete. It’s off topic and I do offer my condolences for your country’s loss, but you should really write a book. Your verses have the power of truth in them. Not many have. Please consider it.
Be strong.
love u both! rip kak min.
Thank you Pete. You speak for many. Certainly me. The country is dimmer now. You and your comrades must brighten it back up again. For Min. Ok?
Dear Yasmin,
You touches me in Life. Thus, you touches me in Death as well. My immediate reaction was “what a waste!” Even before sorrow sets in. And I’ll be sad a long time for your legacy will always be around to remind me. And whenever I think I have gotten around you, I just know you will spring up through one of your ‘touches’ and again I will utter “what a waste!” For we were still waiting for more tales that touches the soul. How many storyteller do I know that can do that? Not many, for me. Not any, who can speak to me in local context with our local idiosyncracies. Damn. I miss you. Every year, comes a certain season; I will miss you because I will be missing something I’ve always been looking forward to. See, I do not have to be any clearer. People know what I say because they know you through your work. From your work they know you. As I did. I once wrote - “I think the most important word for any religion is “compassion” without which there is no reason for any religion.” I think I learned that from you. And I think there are so many more lessons I could learn. Which is why I couldn’t get over “what a waste!” and which is why I will always miss you. As I will always miss those stories that are waiting to be told.
I cried when I heard the news..It was really sad
She will be remembered and everyone will miss her. She was great and talented film maker.
May her soul rest in peace. May God bless her.
Wishing you all the best Mr. Pete Teo. Don’t you dare leave us too or I’d be mad.
RIP Kak Min.
Thanks so much Pete for sharing. May she rest in peace. All the best to you! Ganbatte ne!
hi pete,
hope u r fine there…its been a heart breaking event to c one of our brightest left us. deeply missed her n u take care man.
Really sad now.
A very wonderful experience was able to be done by seeing her movie.
I pray that her soul obtains peace and the rest from Japan.
Take care,Pete.
It still has not sunk in for me. I feel sad. Beautiful writngs from you as always. Thank u.
dear pete
thanks for the tribute. sure kak min appreciate it very much and for those who leave the msgs here, im sure she want to say THANK YOU to you from heaven…
im now crying like baby lost her mum…i was in kl for training when i saw abt her news…wanted to cry so much but i have to hold it coz my manager is with me. i hold my tears for 4 days and finally i can cry now…
i just leave msg to her blog before she left and expect to read more article from her but now she went so far far away…far till i no longer can hear her voice again, far till i no longer able to read her new thought again…
i been fan of kak min since sepet and keep on following her blog..oh gosh..my tears keep on flowing and i miss her so much so so much now….WHY?? why cant u hold a little bit more longer for us….
we (young) ppl really need u as our guidance mum, guidance sister, guidance teacher and for most of all, guidance friend..
lots of misses n luvs and kisses for you, kak min!
Pete, thank you for this beautiful tribute. I shed tear while reading it. Still can’t believe she is gone. Thank you again. God bless you.
Her spirit will be with you my dear Pete. It has always occurred to me that you two were opposite side of the same coin. One breezy the other stoic - but both have a depth of humanity in their work only the exceptional possess. I am sorry for your loss. But you must carry on. Please promise me that.
love u both.
This is such a beautiful message. RIP Yasmin…
Pete,
That was a beautiful valedictory essay to Yasmin.
May she rest in peace.
Hey Pete,
Thanks for writing that letter. I finally found the little closure I needed because in my head I just couldn’t accept the fact that she’s gone. I mean I was so looking forward to watching Talentime and many more great stuff from Yasmin. I feel truly blessed for having to meet her when she was shooting Gubra in Ipoh. I call that fate. I hesitated to meet her - you know what they say about meeting your heroes. But she was really nice.
I was weaned with the legendary successes of “Yasmin Ahmad” in advertising school and I do wonder whom they are going to talk about now that she’s no longer with us. A gaping hole indeed.
Thanks for the sweet tribute - it’s honest but not melodramatic. Like one friend always say, “Just nice.”
p/s: Now I find a real reason to catch Departure. My friend raved about it but I am not up for another sad movie.
cheers.
An era of truly Malaysian filmmaking is over. So sad. RIP kak min.
Thanks for the beautiful note P.
beautifully written, i might not have had the chance to meet her but felt that what you wrote captured the essence of yasmin ahmad :). be strong pete teo, you must continue where she left off. alfathihah.
Hello Pete, thank you for the heart-warming post. Witty, and sad, all at the same time. It feels like she’s here .. reading.
Hi Pete, I am so touched with Talentime. My cousin who happened to be the art director of this movie urged me to watch this movie and I did. It was simply so touching and surprisingly I cried. I hardly cry when I watch movie but Sepet and Talentime are making my tears drop so easily. Yasmin proved that we can all be gone at any minute and any day. I wish we could all appreciate life a little more. If only she was still alive. I have always wanted to meet her in real life.
Regards,
Sarah Lam