Of Raya and TV Commercials

Loken, August 2010

Its Raya season, and FB is flooded with pictures of people celebrating Raya. Some even have a particular album for particular days of Raya.

Me?

I don't even have a single picture of me celebrating. I just don't see the point. I don't think people are interested on how I look, what am I doing during Raya.
Two futsal sessions and a trip to Padang Besar. That is how I celebrate my Raya this year.


Raya is not Raya without ketupat, lemang, rendang, bunga api, mercun, dress-to-kill girls(even some makciks), duit raya kids, and TV commercials.

In fact, all festivities in Malaysia are not complete without TV commercials.

I just love them. Sometimes, I wonder why Malaysia keep churning out rubbish movies when we can make commercials that good every single year.

Yesterday I wasted(the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted according to John Lennon) the whole day watching back these commercials on Youtube. And I spotted a trend.

A trend that I don't like.

For the last few years, all these commercials seems to have a sad and sentimental tone. A festival should be celebrated right? We suppose to be happy and cheerful and all. Why the melancholic approach? A son miss his father, or a daughter felt guilty because fighting with her mother, don't you think its not proper for a happy celebration. It would be great for Father's/Mother's Day, but for Hari Raya/CNY/Deepavali? I don't think so.


People mostly remember happy things. Our face use less muscle to smile than to frown. Human are made that way. Everybody remembers Muthusamy Karupiah, kasut gombak, Apo kono eh jang?, but not everybody remembers Pak Kasim Beca.

It is ok for these commercials to touches people heart and bring tears to the eyes, but it should be tear of happiness, not tears of sadness. Just like the ikan di laut asam di darat.


I prefer a light and humorous theme. Especially the one with Adibah Noor or Ho Yuhang in it.
If both of them in a same commercial, without a single shadow of doubt it will be my all time favourite.


Just like this one.

Adibah Noor, Ho Yuhang, cekodok, ais kacang, classic European music, what more can you ask!

Now that how a festival commercial should be.