'Anwar: The Untold Story' a 'useless, nauseating' film - Khairuddin

A loyalist of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has dubbed 'Anwar: The Untold Story' a "useless, nauseating" watch.

According to Khairuddin Abu Hassan, the biopic that documents Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's arduous political journey is aimed at slandering and tarnishing Mahathir's image.

"I just finished watching 'Anwar: The Untold Story', which was a nauseating watch.

"The film elevates him (Anwar) to the status of a Godfather," Khairuddin (above) wrote on Twitter today.

Commenting further, the former Federal Territories Pejuang chief claimed that the film helmed by Indonesian director Viva Westi contained a lot of inaccuracies.

"The movie was made without research and contained a lot of misleading facts," he added.

The film, set in the period between 1993 and 1998, tells the story of Anwar during his tenure as deputy prime minister and finance minister, as well as his fight against corruption.

It started showing in cinemas nationwide yesterday. The star-studded line-up includes Farid Kamil as Anwar, Acha Septriasa (Wan Azizah Wan Ibrahim), Hasnul Rahmat (Mahathir), Piet Pagau (Anwar's father), and Saskia Chadwick (Nurul Izzah).

Khairuddin also questioned why the film was made by an Indonesian, instead of a local.

"I almost felt like I was watching an Indonesian film because the actors were trying hard to speak in Bahasa Melayu but it sounded awkward.

"This is because 99 percent of the actors were Indonesians. Are there no local directors to make this film? Who wrote the script?

"In addition, almost 95 percent of the movie was also shot in Indonesia," he said.

'Cruelty against Anwar's nauseating'

Meanwhile, the film’s executive producer Zulkiflee Anwar Haque countered that 30 percent of the film featured Anwar’s time in Bukit Aman’s lockup since September 20, 1998, which in turn was based on a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) report released in 1999 regarding the beatings that Anwar suffered while in police custody.

“For Khairuddin’s knowledge, the RCI report is submitted directly to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Something presented to the Agong cannot contain slander and falsehoods,” he said in a statement today.

He highlighted how the report described in detail how Anwar was punched at least seven times while wearing handcuffs, while Anwar was only able to scream in agony until he fell unconscious and was left there without medical treatment for five days.

“Of course, as a movie, some scenes had been embellished for dramatic effect without losing the facts,” he said.

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim also responded to Khairuddin, saying the only nauseating thing in Anwar's saga were those who committed cruelty against the latter.

"The story about Anwar is all facts, not fiction. I know because I participated in the 'reformasi' movement to support Anwar after he was sacked by Mahathir in September 1998.

"Anwar was attacked by former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor in a lock-up in Bukit Aman until he (Anwar) got a black eye, and that too, is a fact," Hassan said in a statement today.

Rahim resigned as the IGP the following year. He was later found guilty of assault and sentenced to two months in prison, and fined RM2,000.

Hassan challenged Rahim to sue him if he was stating falsehoods.

"What's nauseating is not Anwar's film but the cruel manner the authorities and the elite and the powerful acted against Anwar."

He urged Khairuddin to make a film about Mahathir and praise the latter as much as he wants, using a local cast and crew.

"Do it for (Tun) Mahathir. No one will protest, and there's no problem at all."

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