Mengenang Sang Sutradara

Datuk Johan Jaafar menyebutnya sebagai  the last of the mohicans. Tulis Johan :
Jamil Sulong is the only surviving director of the golden era of Malay cinema. His contemporaries, P. Ramlee, Omar Rojik S. Kadarisman, Salleh Ghani, Hussein Haniff and M. Amin have long gone.

Beliau adalah  aktivis seni yang bergiat aktif sejak penubuhan ASAS 50 bersama Usman Awang.  Antara Jamil Sulong dan Usman Awang adalah teman akrab yang bersama menghirup payah di bumi Singapura pada waktu itu. Johan menyebutnya :
As fate had it, in the early 1950s both Jamil and Usman went to Singapore to seek better lives. Jamil joined Malay Film Production (MFP) while Usman worked briefly at Melayu Paya Press before joining Utusan Melayu Press in Cecil Road.

Dilahirkan di Parit Sulong, Batu Pahat pada 6 Ogos 1926. Beliau mula bekerja sebagai penterjemah dan kemudian sebagai penolong pengarah di Syarikat Malay Film Production pada tahun 1951. Pernah berlakon bersama P.Ramlee diawal pembabitan seniman itu di tahun 50-an seperti Filem Patah Hati (1952) dan Miskin (1952). Filem arahannya yang pertama berjudul Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup dan Filem Raja Melewar merupakan filem arahannya yang terakhir. Antara filem lakonan dan arahan P.Ramlee dimana beliau bertugas menulis lirik lagu untuk filem ialah filem Hujan Panas (1953), Siapa Salah (1953), Panggilan Pulau (1954), Hang Tuah (1955), Anakku Sazali (1956), Penarik Beca (1955) dan Semerah Padi (1956).

Dalam sejarah perfileman Melayu klasik tertulis nama Jamil Sulong, sebagai  anak Melayu yang ketiga yang diberi kepercayaan mengarahkan filem Melayu di MFP, Singapura selepas P.Ramlee dan Haji Mahadi. Filem pertamanya Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup dihasilkan pada tahun 1957 diikuti dengan filem klasik Si Tanggang dan Lela Manja.

Allahyarham merupakan pengarah filem Melayu yang kedua paling banyak mengarah filem, namun filem-filem beliau yang telah merangkul anugerah filem paling banyak di persada antarabangsa. Antara filem-filemnya yang terkenal termasuk Bidasari, Raja Bersiong, Gerak Kilat, Jiwa Remaja, Sayang Anakku Sayang, Jasmin, dan Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan. Allahyarham turut dikenali sebagai penulis lirik untuk lagu-lagu nyanyian Seniman Agung Tan Sri P.Ramlee. Antara lagu-lagunya termasuk lagu Berkorban Apa Saja, Tiru Macam Saya, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Azizah, dan banyak lagi.

Beliau pernah menjadi penulis tamu ( Ahli Cipta ) di Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Ketua Panel Penilai Skrip di FINAS dan menjadi AJK Akedemi Filem di FINAS. Buku karangannya, Kaca Permata Memoir Seorang Pengarah telah diterbitkan oleh Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka pada tahun 1993. Sepanjang penglibatannya dalam bidang perfileman, beliau telah berjaya meraih anugerah di Festival Filem Asia Fasifik untuk filem arahan dan terbitan syarikatnya, R.J. Filem Sdn. Bhd. Pada tahun 2001 beliau menerima gelaran Datuk.

Beliau sempat menulis autobiografi terakhirnya berjodol Warisan dan Wawasan diterbitkan oleh Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka pada 2008. Buku ini merupakan himpunan riwayat hidup Datuk Jamil Sulong yang bermula daripada kisah datuknya Mansor bin Arshad, penghulu di sebuah kampung bernama Paya Rumput, Sungai Udang, Melaka yang berhijrah ke sebuah kampung di Sungai Simpang Kiri, Batu Pahat, Johor. Datuknya, yang kemudian menukar nama kepada Muahmmad Ibrahim, berkahwin dengan Selma dan Numa di Parit Sulong. Sebelum itu, datuknnya berkahwin dengan Edah di Melaka, dan mendapat Sulong, yang kemudian mencari bapanya di Batu Pahat. Sulong, kemudian berkahwin dengan Temun binti Manang. Perkahwinan Sulong dengan Temun menghasilkan beberapa orang anak dan seorang daripadanya ialah Jamil. Jamil membesar dan bersekolah di kampung itu dan juga di Batu Pahat.

 Jamil turut menceritakan pengalaman sewaktu pemerintahan Jepun, apabila pengganas menyerang kampung, membakar rumahnya dan membunuh banyak ahli keluarganya, serta kemunculan Kial Salleh dengan selempang merahnya. Beliau turut aktif menulis cerpen, sajak dan komik dan terlibat menubuhkan persatuan penulis ASAS '50 di Singapura dan Ikatan Persuratan Melayu (IPM) di Melaka bersama dengan Usman Awang, Yusof Harun, Mokhtar Yasin dan banyak lagi. Semasa menjadi penolong pengarah filem di Singapura pada tahun 1951, beliau bertemu dan berkahwin dengan Rosnani. Kemudian beliau dilantik menjadi pengarah filem pada bulan November 1958. Beliau ikut menubuhkan persatuan artis PERSAMA, bersama dengan P.Ramlee dan artis lain di Jalan Ampas. Pada tahun 1967, Jamil berpindah semula ke Malaysia setelah 16 tahun di Singapura. Beliau seterusnya mencatatkan pengalaman dalam bidang perfileman yang merupakan nadi kehidupannya. Jamil meneruskan perjuangannya dalam filem secara aktif hingga tahun 1997 dengan filem terakhirnya Raja Melewar.

Sang Sutradara ini telah pergi. Allahyarham dimasukkan ke sebuah hospital pada bulan lalu kerana angin ahmar dan dilaporkan telah koma sejak tiga minggu lalu. Jenazah Allahyarham disembahyangkan di masjid Al Ghufran, Pinggiran Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) sebelum dibawa ke Tanah Perkuburan Islam Janda Baik, Pahang untuk disemadikan.

Tinggal bersama kita adalah legasi karya-karya beliau menerusi filem, buku-buku serta untaian lirik lagu yang pernah dinyanyikan oleh Allahyarham P. Ramlee dan penyanyi lain.

Antara filem hasil arahan Jamil Sulong :

Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup
Bidasari
Cinta dan Lagu
Darah Muda
Dayang Senandong
Dendang Perantau
Gerak Kilat
Gerhana
Isi Neraka
Jasmin
Jebak Maut
Jejak Bertapak
Jiwa Remaja
Filem Kacha Permata
Lain Jalan Ka-Shorga
Lela Manja
Lubalang Daik
Mambang Moden
Permintaan Terakhir
Raja Bersiong
Raja Laksamana Bentan
Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan
Sayang Anakku Sayang
Sepi Itu Indah
Sri Tanjung
Tuan Badul

Antara lirik lagu tulisan Jamil Sulong adalah lagu ini :

tangisan semalam - uji rashid

Tangisan Semalam

Di malam yang sepi aku menangis

Sedu dan sayu tidak tertahan

Airmata berlinangan tak ku rasakan

Letih lesu seluruh badan

Tidak ku menduga engkau mungkir janji

Cinta mu yang dikatakan suci

Hanya ucapan manis untuk memujuk hati

Kini luka tak terubat lagi

Lama nian kita nikmati

Manisnya dalam lautan madu

Berdendangkan lagu rindu

Kasih sayang aku dan dia

Jadilah peristiwa

Gerhana dalam hidup

Tinggal kini aku kesepian

Setitis air mata akan jadi kenangan

Inilah hati yang kau lukakan

Kasih putus tiada lagi sambungan

Cinta hanya jadi gurauan

Cinta hanya jadi gurauan

Cinta hanya jadi gurauan

Lagu Ahmad Nawab

Lirik Jamil Sulong

Penyanyi Uji Rashid

Al-Fatihah.


Pengarah filem veteran Datuk Jamil Sulong meninggal dunia
Published: 26 September 2014

Datuk Jamil Sulong (paling kiri) bersama isterinya Rosenani Jamil, Normadia dan Abdul Latief. Allahyarham meninggal dunia malam tadi akibat serangan angin ahmar. – Gambar Wikimedia, 26 September, 2014.

Datuk Jamil Sulong (paling kiri) bersama isterinya Rosenani Jamil, Normadia dan Abdul Latief. Allahyarham meninggal dunia malam tadi akibat serangan angin ahmar. – Gambar Wikimedia, 26 September, 2014.Pengarah filem veteran Datuk Jamil Sulong meninggal dunia di rumah anaknya, Anwardi, di Bukit Utama Damansara pada kira-kira 9.30 malam tadi.

Allahyarham berusia 88 tahun.

Anwardi, 55, berkata bapanya meninggal dunia akibat serangan angin ahmar setelah hampir sebulan dimasukkan ke Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM).

Jenazah Allahyarham akan dimandikan di Masjid Al-Ghufran, Taman Tun Dr Ismail dan akan disembahyangkan selepas solat Jumaat esok sebelum dikebumi di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang.

Allahyarham mengarahkan 26 filem, antaranya Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup, Raja Laksamana Bentan, Si Tanggang, Lela Manja, Bidasari dan Raja Bersiong.

Beliau turut menulis lirik beberapa lagu nyanyian Seniman Agung Allahyarham Tan Sri P Ramlee dan biduanita negara Saloma seperti Engkau Laksana Bulan, Merak Kayangan serta Tiru Macam Saya.

Allahyarham meninggalkan seorang isteri Datuk Rosnani Ludin, 78, atau lebih dikenali sebagai Rosnani Jamil serta empat anak iaitu Murniaty, 59, Arjunaidi, 56, Anwardi dan Asnadi, 48. – Bernama, 26 September, 2014.

themalaysianinsider

SENIMAN hargai Jamil Sulong
Oleh Hanisah Selamat
19 Julai 2010

Malam Lagenda Perdana kenang jasa karyawan filem sepanjang zaman

KETOKOHAN karyawan filem sepanjang zaman, Datuk Jamil Sulong dalam industri seni, khususnya perfileman sejak era Studio Jalan Ampas dan sumbangannya terhadap perfileman negara mendorong Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (SENIMAN) memberikan pengiktirafan terhadap pengarah dan penulis lirik tersohor itu.

Dinamakan sebagai Malam Lagenda Perdana, acara ini bakal berlangsung di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) pada 5 Ogos ini. Ia juga bakal menyaksikan pelancaran semula buku riwayat hidup Jamil atau mesra dengan panggilan Pak Jamil di kalangan penggiat industri filem, berjudul Warisan dan Wawasan.

Presiden SENIMAN, Harun Salim Bachik berkata, adalah lebih wajar jika pengiktirafan terhadap seseorang tokoh diberikan ketika hayat mereka ada kerana segala-galanya tidak akan bermakna sekiranya individu berkenaan hanya diangkat atau dikenang selepas meninggal dunia.

“Datuk Jamil Sulong adalah guru kepada penggiat perfileman dan bagi SENIMAN. Sumbangannya terhadap industri ini sememangnya harus diperakui sekali gus mampu dijadikan contoh kepada generasi pelapis.

“Malam Lagenda Perdana – Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa bertepatan dengan pelancaran semula bukunya yang turut memuatkan lebih 150 lirik nukilan beliau yang mana lebih separuh daripadanya pernah dinyanyikan atau melatari filem P Ramlee,” katanya.

Dilahirkan pada 6 Ogos 1926 di Parit Sulong Batu Pahat, Johor, Pak Jamil mula berjinak-jinak dengan dunia pengarahan pada 1959 dengan karya pertama, Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup hingga seterusnya memecah penguasaan pengarah filem dari India apabila menjadi pengarah filem Melayu terawal.

Bakat karyawan seni yang bakal menyambut ulang tahun ke-85 itu juga menyerlah di bidang penulisan lirik dengan sebahagian besar dihasilkan untuk lagu teman akrabnya, P Ramlee seperti Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa, Engkau Laksana Bulan dan Berkorban Apa Saja.

Kebolehan berkarya tentu saja tidak menghairankan apabila beliau yang mesra disapa Pak Jamil pernah menjadi penulis bebas akhbar dan majalah, penulis cerpen, sajak serta pelukis kartun sebelum ‘terjun’ ke arena perfileman.

Harun berkata kecintaan terhadap seni selain tidak mahu muncul individu tidak bertanggungjawab memutarbelitkan fakta, Jamil menerbitkan buku lirik Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa pada Ogos 2006.

“Pada majlis itu nanti, kita akan menghimpunkan ramai penyanyi lama dan baru mendendangkan semula lagu yang liriknya ditulis Datuk Jamil Sulong seperti Aishah, Azlina Aziz, Nassier Wahab dan Salwa Abdul Rahman.

“Pasti imbauan kegemilangan zaman itu dapat dirasai semula kerana kami turut mengundang teman seangkatan beliau hadir memeriahkan majlis termasuk Datuk Aziz Satar, Datuk Jins Samsudin, Kuswadinata serta ramai lagi,” katanya.

berita harian

HERITAGE: Pure poetry
2 June 2013

Ever wondered who wrote the lyrics to most of P. Ramlee songs? Anwardi Jamil delves into the Malaysian history of popular music

LYRICISTS always seem to get the short end of the stick. They’re the hidden partner, the man in the shadows, the unknown other half. We all know Elton John but do you remember Bernie?

That’s Bernie Taupin, who wrote most of Elton’s lyrics.

The guy who writes the songs gets the girls, while the guy who writes the lyrics seems to fade into the background. Or so it seems. In Malaysia, it’s no different.

Like my father Datuk Jamil Sulong, for example. He and the late S. Sudarmaji wrote the lyrics to most of P. Ramlee’s most popular and famous songs, but unfortunately not many people know this. P. Ramlee got all the glory. So bear with me as I take you on a journey to put my father’s name into proper perspective in the history of local popular music.

My father is 87. He’s better known as the country’s elder statesman in the world of cinema than a lyricist. Like P. Ramlee, he got his start as a filmmaker in Malay Film Productions (MFP) studio owned by Shaw Brothers in Singapore in the early 1950s.

P. Ramlee went down south from Penang to seek fame and fortune. My father was from Johor, Parit Sulong.

Both were young, enthusiastic Malays learning the trade of filmmaking from Indian directors based in Singapore. They were in their 20s when they met and became great friends.

P. Ramlee made his directorial debut with Penarek Becha in 1955 while my father directed his first film Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup two years later. P. Ramlee was the second Malay director in Shaw’s stable and my father was the third.

Ramlee was from Penang Free School. My father was from Batu Pahat College. So being quite conversant in English, they were favoured working personnel with English-speaking Indian directors.

P. Ramlee was already a big-time actor when my father started at MFP as an assistant director. They got to know each other’s dreams and aspirations, and Ramlee knew and admired Jamil’s writing.

Their collaboration began way before P. Ramlee directed Penarek Becha, beginning with the movie Miskin in 1952. In those early days of Malay cinema, and in MFP, the most experienced lyricist was the late S. Sudarmaji. He was also a respected and popular assistant director in Jalan Ampas. It was Sudarmaji who taught Jamil to write lyrics even though my father had said he couldn’t read nor write music.

“Sudarmaji told me that I needn’t worry as the songwriter would tell you the melody and one can gauge the beats, the number of syllables required in each line and still write the lyrics,” he said.

“Bung Maji (what he called Sudarmaji) was never selfish about imparting knowledge and I used to go to his house for meals as we were neighbours. It was easier for me, a bachelor, to pay for meals at his house instead of cooking on my own, and I took this opportunity to learn more about writing.”

When he felt he was ready to write lyrics, he made it known to the music directors of movies he was assigned to as an assistant director. In 1952, Indian director K.M.Basker was about to direct Miskin, starring P. Ramlee and a new actress, Rosnani Jamil. P. Ramlee was writing the songs.

Jamil took the opportunity to offer to write the lyrics and was accepted. It was the start of a long and fruitful collaboration. He and P. Ramlee churned out dozens of classic songs such as Azizah, Berkorban Apa Saja, Tiru Macam Saya, Joget Pahang, Anakku Sazali, Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa, Kau Laksana Bulan and Mari Dengar Ini Cerita.

I didn’t know this until the late 1980s when people began asking about P. Ramlee’s royalties to his music. I knew my father had written some, but not how many. So one day, I asked him. As he tried to recall the songs that he wrote, the list grew longer. I thought if P.Ramlee was paid royalties for his songs, surely the lyricists (considered co-owners) should be able to claim royalties too.

I found a lawyer to help me prepare an affidavit to the relevant authorities and we were successful in our claim. I even told the late S. Sudarmaji’s family to do the same.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t help P. Ramlee’s son, the late Nasir P. Ramlee, as at that time, his late father’s estate was still in limbo and no one knew who was the rightful heir or heirs.

Jamil and P. Ramlee wrote a song that was played every year. The song? Selamat Hari Raya, made popular by late Ahmad Jais.

There’s an interesting story behind this song. Unlike most other songs, it wasn’t written for a movie but on a whim by both P. Ramlee and my father for a particular occasion.

It was in April 1958, in the month of Syawal and just a few days after Raya. The artistes of Jalan Ampas studio were on strike for better pay. To fend for themselves, they organised a series of concerts, one of which was held at a popular amusement park called Happy World. During the concert, P. Ramlee approached Jamil and gave him a piece of paper with the usual notations for lyrics, asking: “Jim (the nickname P. Ramlee used for my father), can you write the lyrics for this tune? I think it will make a great Raya song and I want everyone to sing this song at the end of tonight’s show.”

My father, who was planning to stay backstage to take care of his then 1-year-old son Arjunaidi, agreed. Within minutes, he was writing out the lyrics. That night, as a finale, the group sang the new song:

Selamat Hari Raya, Aidilftri Mulia, Ampun maaf dipinta, Mencusi hening dosa; Setahun menghilang, sekarang menjelang, Hari yang bahagia, Selamat Hari Raya.

Jamil, though known in the industry as “the quiet man”, could surprise people with his sense of humour. His wit shone through regularly in his lyrics. He was also known for putting English words and sentences into P. Ramlee’s songs such as the one they wrote was Hujan Panas in 1953. The song was Mari Dengar Ini Cerita. One of the lines reads: “I would like to tanya, kalau you yang kena, wife you juga cemburu jadi what will you do?”

In 1980, my parents funded my first directorial debut Tuah. It was my fantastical take on the legend of Tuah and starred Jamal Abdillah. In the original film, Hang Tuah, directed by Phani Majumdar starring P. Ramlee, my father wrote the lyrics to one of Ramlee’s most famous songs, Berkorban Apa Saja.

My mother said the lyrics were written specially for her. So, as a tribute to my parents, I re-recorded the song with Jamal Abdillah and used it for my movie.

Three years ago, my mother compiled a book containing some of my father’s lyrics. The title of the book was derived from one of his more popular songs, Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa, and was published by Finas and the Ministry of Information. Despite not having a full list of all his written works, even those with P. Ramlee, it was nevertheless a long awaited book of one of the most unheralded lyricists of our times.

Another famous lyricist, Habsah Hassan, said of my father: “During his time, not much due credit was given to lyricists, only to the songwriter. I didn’t realise that the lyrics of many songs that I loved, were written by Pak Jamil.

“From his gentle use of language, presentation or wordplay, his lyrics were symbolic of the true Malay gentleman. His lyrics were pure poetry.”

Enduring mystery of Azizah

ONE of the most enduring mysteries of the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee was the girl in the song Azizah which he wrote in 1948.

The song was made famous in the movie, Penarek Becha, P. Ramlee’s first directorial triumph in 1955. However, the version in the movie was not the same song he wrote in 1948.

In 1955, P. Ramlee requested Datuk Jamil Sulong to rewrite the lyrics. In Jamil’s version, the description of Azizah was different and subtler because the original lyrics did not fit the leading lady of the movie, the late Saadiah.

It was stated that Azizah was P. Ramlee’s first composition, and he performed the song at a singing competition in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, and received national attention. After winning the competition, Indian director K.M. Basker invited him to Singapore to act in a movie — and the rest was history.

Coming back to the song, here are the lyrics of both songs for comparison:

P. Ramlee’s lyrics (1948)
Rupa kamu yang cantik
Mata kamu yang bulat
Membikin pemuda
Jadilah gembira

Senyumanmu yang manis
Gigi kamu yang putih
O nonaku Azizah
O nonaku Azizah

Hidungmu yang mancung
Rambutmu kerinting
Membikin pemuda
Sehari-hari menaruh cinta padamu
O Azizah

Cantik rupamu
Cantik rupamu
Dipandang mata
Bagai biduan
Bagai biduan
Dari Syurga

Tidur malam terbayang
Teringat kamu seorang
Membikin hati pemuda
Menjadi bimbang
O Azizah

Jamil Sulong’s version (1955)
Rupamu nan jelita,
gaya kamu nan manja,
membuat aku kini jadi tergoda

Siang jadi kenangan,
malam jadi impian,
keranamu Azizah (2x)

Matamu bersinar
Cahayanya memancar
Kalbuku berdebar
Baru ini digedung
Hatiku cinta berkobar
Oh Azizah

Putih kulitmu (2x)
Pandang tak jemu
Manis senyummu (2x)
Mulia hatimu
Putih kulitmu (2x)
Pandang tak jemu
Manis Senyummu (2x)
Mulia hatimu

Kalau kau menjadi bunga
Biar kujadi tangkainya
Asalkan dapat bersama denganmu
Cinta dipadu
Oh Azizah

What is distinctly different is the description of Azizah in the original version: Hidungmu yang mancung, Rambutmu kerinting (Your nose is sharp, your hair is curly).

In his biography, Warisan Dan Wawasan (published by Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka), Jamil said he told P. Ramlee he would have to change the descriptions as they didn’t match Saadiah’s looks. P. Ramlee agreed, and Jamil took further liberties with the other lines and made them his.

According to many music critics, the film version was never recorded or released as an album. However, if I’m not mistaken, the late veteran singer Ahmad Jais did make a recording of the Jamil version later.

Nevertheless, that’s the only clue to unmasking Azizah. Ramlee’s biographers, both experts and amateur, pored over his early years to find out who Azizah was, and mostly came out with wild guesses as they couldn’t find anyone who fitted the bill.

Jamil, however, offers an interesting take on the mystery. This version of the story is not new. It had made its rounds before but most people did not want to believe it. The girl in the song, according to Jamil, was not even called Azizah.

The mystery girl or woman, was someone both P. Ramlee and Jamil were acquainted with even before they became friends.

In his younger days, Jamil was an avid letter writer and had numerous pen pals.He was acquainted with a girl from Penang who he referred to as “N” in his biography.

According to “N”, she knew P. Ramlee in Penang, and he was smitten with her. How did she know P. Ramlee? Her father was Pak Kamaruddin, a famous musician and P. Ramlee’s music and vocal teacher in Penang.

“N” told Jamil they were in love and as P. Ramlee feared her father, they would leave love letters in a secret spot (in this instance, a flower pot) for each other to be retrieved at a later time.

Jamil was so intrigued by this secret letter writing that he wrote a scene based on it in one of his movies, Budi Dan Dosa. “N” and Jamil became good friends and “N” even came down to his hometown of Parit Sulong and stayed a night with his family. “N” was a close friend of Jamil’s throughout the years.

The relationship between “N” and P. Ramlee discontinued after they were separated when the latter was discovered by Malay Film Productions studio in 1952.

She became a very successful politician who died two years ago.

I have two photographs of her, one taken when she visited Parit Sulong in the late 1940s. The other was taken in 1984 (photo courtesy of Omar Hashim) which showed her visiting P. Ramlee’s grave with his relatives, including his late son Nasir.

The fact that P. Ramlee’s family knew her and took her to his grave to pay her respects might be proof that her story was the most credible one.

“N”, in my book, was Azizah.

All pictures from Anwardi Jamil’s collection

nst

Jamil Sulong - the last of the Mohicans
New Straits Times, Aug 7, 2010 | by Johan Jaaffar

JAMIL SULONG is the only surviving director of the golden era of Malay cinema. His contemporaries, P. Ramlee, Omar Rojik S. Kadarisman, Salleh Ghani, Hussein Haniff and M. Amin have long gone.

He celebrated his 84th birthday yesterday and Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (Seniman) paid him a tribute the evening before with a night to remember. I was given the honour of launching his autobiography, Jamil Sulong: Warisan dan Wawasan, published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).

When I joined DBP in 1977, the late Usman Awang was the deputy head of my division. As fate had it, in the early 1950s both Jamil and Usman went to Singapore to seek better lives. Jamil joined Malay Film Production (MFP) while Usman worked briefly at Melayu Paya Press before joining Utusan Melayu Press in Cecil Road, the company that appointed me chief editor 40 years later.

At DBP, I was entrusted to edit his first book, Kaca Permata: Memoir Seorang Pengarah, back in 1988. It took us two long years to work on the book, writing and rewriting and assembling pictures of the era very few had seen before.

During those difficult early years in the 1950s, Jamil and Usman stayed in a room belonging to a struggling writer, Jaafar Haji Muhammad, better known as Jymy Asmara, in Kampung Batak near Jalan Eunos. While frequenting a stall in Gelang Serai, Jamil was introduced to a petite lady working there who later became his wife, Rosnani. She was an accomplished actress herself, first introduced by S. Ramanathan in Sedarah in 1952. She later acted in films like Ibu, Ribut, Anakku Sazali and a few films directed by her husband.

Jamil and Usman had something in common - their love for literature. Jamil was at the meeting that inaugurated Angkatan Sasterawan 50 or better known as Asas 50, the most influential literary grouping the country has ever seen. It was his talent in writing that attracted the attention of MFP directors at the time.

1mohicans