They knew I wasn’t part of an interest group. I think people knew why I was doing what I was doing. Gone is the slick business suit and behind it is the ugly, snarling reality of run-of-the-mill criminals. Suddenly people were being murdered and falsely imprisoned … There were attempts to frighten me as well with people with crew-cuts following me around. What had turned from a slick financial operation became real criminality when these people were put under pressure. If a government is overreacting in this way and treating you as such a dangerous threat, then you know that you are doing your job. Could you speak about some of those experiences? The Malaysian government went to great lengths to discredit and intimidate you. A super rich elite have emerged thanks to the lack of law and order, and thanks to the lack of jurisdiction over the transfers of international wealth. We are allowing the worst criminals on the globe to hide all their money and then redress it as if it’s respectable in our developed economies.
This is not about politics, or about right and left - it’s about right and wrong. I very rapidly realized that I had gone from a grassroots cause to possibly the most pressing and dangerous global issue of our times, which is capitalism gone absolutely rampant. Just this week, she was hit with a defamation lawsuit prompted by revelations in her new book on 1MDB, The Sarawak Report. After more than three years of vilification and harassment, during which she was banned from Malaysia by the former prime minister, she was finally allowed to return. The sensational fallout from 1MDB has implicated members of leading financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, led to a change of government in Malaysia and spawned international criminal charges for figures like the playboy financier and The Wolf of Wall Street producer Jho Low.įor Rewcastle Brown, blowing the whistle on 1MDB has come with enormous repercussions. Department of Justice investigators believe more than $7.5 billion was embezzled from the fund and spent on items such as Van Gogh paintings and luxury yachts. That many more films from native voices will be financially supported in the future," Sarah, who directed the video, said.Rewcastle Brown, 59, had been shining a spotlight on environmental destruction in her birthplace, Sarawak, Malaysia, when she uncovered a trail that eventually exposed billions of dollars being siphoned from a state sovereign fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). That we have to tell from our part of the world, and from indigenous communities. “The wins and selections at festivals only goes to show that there is an interest in the stories The video wouldn't have been made possible without the keen eye of Styllar, Saerah Ridzuan, renowned make-up artist Gebriel Padanm, and Malaysian designers and craftswomen. The entire video, from the music to dance and costume takes inspiration from the diverse cultures of Borneo, specifically Sarawak. I think many Malaysians, and people across the world also, can relate to the spirit of the warrior," Alena added. Though we no longer practice that anymore, we inherited their spirit, their courage, their strength and more over, the courage to fight together for something greater than ourselves. "My great great great grandfather Balang Nganud was a great warrior, the community called him ‘the Tiger that floats enemies’ heads downriver’.
IMAGE: Sarah Lois Dorai and Alena Murang. We come from a line of warriors and heroes,” Alena said of the video which was released on YouTube on as part of her album Sky Songs.īorn of Dayak and Kelabit descent, the musician along with her cousin are now using music and filmmaking as a means to bring awareness of their dying Borneo heritage.
"Warrior Spirit, shows the strength within. That's not all, the music video, co-produced by Kanid Studio and Project Room, is also a semi-finalist for the “Best Film” award in Los Angeles, U.S. Titled Warrior Spirit, the music video won the Best Asia & Pacific Music Video and got an Honourable Mention for Best Costume. Both sisters have their roots in Sarawak. Heads up, Malaysians! One of your musicians is making it big internationally.Īlena Murang and her cousin sister Sarah Lois Dorai recently bagged two awards at the prestigious International Music Video Awards in UK. Stay updated with the latest in Tech, Science, Culture, Entertainment, and more by following our Telegram channel here.
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