I can sympathise with the personal angst of this guy calling himself ‘Namewee’. His call for attention - using crude ways imported directly from the Sixties American artistic expressive methods meant mostly for sidebar exhibitions and protestations - has caused some consternation.

But alas, the authorities are not too educated on such artistic and cultural movements and find it easy to belittle such efforts. This proves the depravity of their intellect and cultural and artistic awareness.

For Namewee, being a Taiwan-educated person and wanting to return to this country so he could be of any use, has proven to be such a futile effort.

And this is what's shocking. It would have been less so if he had returned from America where he could have been said to have been influenced by their artistic expressive ways so he can be forgiven for his artistic mischief and visuals as well as oral pranks.

Comparatively speaking, what is in Namewee’s video is no different from the racist utterances of those who scream them in Parliament and sometimes in the streets, including those that were uttered by the Hindraf leaders who have done far worse things.

But venting his frustration by doing small videos uploaded onto YouTube may not be the right course of action. He needs to do more, by going on to the other side as what his other brethren in the arts or film have already done.

The person I am referring to is Syed Azidi otherwise known as Kickafella, who directed a feature film called 'Persona non grata' in 2006. The film bombed at the box office which rendered himself a persona non grata in the film industry.

The problem with this film is that Syed Azidi as the director was not given the chance to explain to the public and audiences about the film. That role was seized by its producer. Too bad talent had not been fully utilised, so it has gone bad.

For Syed Azidi, he found it expedient to go to PAS for salvation. Now he has left it to be in a state of limbo. I know him personally and I believe he has talent to go beyond 'Persona non grata'.

Unfortunately, the chances of him being able to get another shot at directing a feature film is bleak.

And unfortunately, too, Namewee's attempt to break into the local cinema movement as a new and promising director may not be realised. He had announced in public how he had written a screenplay called ‘1Malaysia’.

Unfortunately, he failed to obtain any grant from Finas or the government. This caused him to feel disillusioned with the government and its film agency. He is not alone. Many others who have formal training in film have also suffered at the hands of this film agency and the government for being insensitive to the needs of the new generation of film-makers who are formally trained in film.

Those who are in the film agency and the ministry of information, communication and culture or KPKK are not trained to be receptive to positive change. They dwell on the past. They admire the achievements of a past generation of film-makers without knowing how to admire history.

They use those achievements to lull themselves into complacency. Maybe they are just not qualified to be where they are in the film agency as well as KPKK.

The minister, Rais Yatim, declined to accept an invitation by the film directors' association for a discussion. He fears meeting qualified directors and busies himself mixing around with those who are not. This is definitely not what the ‘1Malaysia’ concept is all about.

It should be about those who can bring about change - real change and not cosmetic change.

It is also about how the government knows how to utilise its talent that can bring glory to the country.

Who else will join the Namewee bandwagon? Amir Muhammad had tried to do something like what Namewee has done but in a less dramatic or crude way so he only got some of his books and videos downgraded by the authorities.

For my part, I had filed a countersuit against a bank for RM40 million which is pending in the High Court all because I only wanted to produce and direct a film.

Many others have gone to the other side and be with the opposition, which thrives on the government's inefficiencies so they could get recruit more from amongst those who feel marginalised by government officers who do not perform and who do not support the ‘1Malaysia’ concept.

Their own definition of this concept is those who support them and those who can support their personal sustenance - not that of the country and government.