Finding his place

THE INDONESIAN biopic Terbang Menembus Langit has been gaining glowing reviews in its home country. This emotional film centres on Onggy Winata (played by Dion Wiyoko), who overcomes poverty to provide a better life for his family.
The film is inspired by the real-life story of Indonesian businessman and motivational speaker Onggy Hianata.
Malaysian actor Chew Kin Wah has a pivotal role in this film, playing Oggy's father who inspires him to greater heights.
In a recent interview with theSun, Chew says the film came about because of a conversation director Fajar Nugros had with a friend who said all Chinese-Indonesians are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and do not have to work hard.
"Fajar wanted to show that there are poor Chinese-Indonesians who have to work hard to be where they are today."
Chew is no stranger to the Indonesian film scene. Last year, Chew won four Indonesian film awards awards for his performance as a sundry shop owner trying to resolve his troubled relationship with his sons in the comedy Cek Teko Sebelah.
Chew has also completed shooting another film which is about a Chinese-Indonesian politician and former governor of Jakarta - rumoured to be based on Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok - who was controversially jailed for insulting Islam.
In July, Chew will yet again be starring in another Indonesian biopic, this time, based on Susi Susanti, the Indonesian badminton player who won gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and the bronze at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta in the US. Chew will be playing her coach.
There is also talk Chew will be starring in a film adaptation of Pemburuan, a novel by the late author Pramoedya Ananta Toer, which is set during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia.
One would have thought that Chew's success in Indonesia would increase his market value in the Malaysian film industry. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
At the moment, his most recent Malaysian film is One Two Jaga, a Nam Ron-directed thriller in which Chew plays a corrupt cop who takes money from immigrants.
One Two Jaga is currently travelling to several international film festivals and will be opening in local cinemas in September.
"Nobody is hiring me now," says the 53-year-old actor.
With a touch of sarcasm, he adds: "Maybe the Malaysian film producers do not see Indonesia as a standard [indicator] when it comes to acting. Maybe I need to be in some Hollywood production to get their attention."
He explains that the Malaysian film industry is more keen in hiring youthful actors in the lead roles.
"I am not in my prime anymore, and ageing actors like me get limited roles," he says.
He suggested perhaps Malaysian films industry should make more films with older actors in the lead roles, something along the line of the Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables.
"Maybe, we could be robbing a bank," he says. "I would love act opposite Jalaluddin Hassan."
He also points out that the Malaysian film industry is really broken into three categories - the Malay-Malaysian film industry, the Chinese-Malaysian film industry, and the Indian-Malaysian film industry.
"In all their productions, you rarely see a mixed-race cast," he says.
"In Chinese-Malaysian film production, everyone is Chinese, including the waiter who serves you. The same goes with Indian-Malaysian production and Malay-Malaysia productions.
"I remember watching a local Chinese TV show where the whole court case is done in the Mandarin language. Tell me, which court case in Malaysia is done in Mandarin? I thought our national language is Bahasa Malaysia.
"Oddly enough, our advertisements will have a multiracial cast. Only in our advertisement, we are Malaysia, truly Asia."
Aside from a lack of attention from the local Malay-language film industry, Chew has also been largely ignored by the Chinese-speaking film industry. He thinks this is due to his lack of proficiency in Mandarin. (Chew speaks both English and Malay very well.)
However, he points out that for his role in Terbang Menembus Langit, he learned to speak Bugis and Bahasa Indonesia.
"If I can learn to speak Bugis and Bahasa Indonesia, I am sure I can take the trouble to learn Mandarin if I am offered a role in a Chinese film production," he says.
He confesses to not being fussy, adding that he will take any roles that comes his way.
"Beggars can't be choosers," he says.
"I do not mind playing a Chinese gangster speaking broken Malay, again. At least, I can go back to my house and sleep on my bed and have breakfast at my favourite kopitiam. My family and friends are here. Indonesia is a nice place, but Malaysia is still my home."
Yet he is not bitter about about his predicament.
"Life is too short to be bitter," he says with a laughter.