Malaysia’s Legendary Actress Dr. Sarimah Ahmad Recovers Original Film Tapes with Government Support
Kuala Lumpur, The Gulf Observer: Renowned Malaysian actress Datuk Dr Sarimah Ahmad has successfully regained the original tapes of four of her iconic films, thanks to the efforts of the Communications Ministry and the National Film Development Corporation (Finas).
The recovered films, Dia Ibuku, Jejak Bertapak, Kabus Tengah Hari, and Detik 12 Malam, were originally taken from the actress in 1989 under a screening agreement with a third party. Speaking during the Finas Ziarah Seni Madani programme at the residence of Sarimah’s daughter, Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching revealed that the company responsible had also handed over copies of the films in hard disk drive (HDD) format to Finas for restoration purposes.
“This step also enables copies of the films to be given to Datuk Sarimah as part of efforts to restore the country’s artistic heritage,” Teo stated. The deputy minister also presented cash donations and basic necessities to the legendary actress, who has been battling colorectal cancer since 2022. Sarimah, aged 83, became the first recipient of donations this year, coinciding with Ramadan and International Women’s Day.
Teo also highlighted the government’s commitment to honouring and supporting local artistes and legends, expressing deep appreciation for Sarimah’s invaluable contributions to the Malaysian film industry.
Also present at the event were Finas CEO Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib, Finas Industry Affairs, Welfare and Industry Data Committee member Rozaidi Abdul Jamil, and Malaysian Artistes’ Association (Karyawan) president Datuk Freddie Fernandez.
Azmir Saifuddin disclosed that discussions to recover the tapes lasted nearly a year before the involved parties agreed to return them. He noted that the tapes had been sold to another entity after being taken from Sarimah, but Finas managed to trace and retrieve them through prolonged negotiations.
The recovered tapes will now be restored, allowing them to be broadcast on RTM with a fee given to Sarimah, ensuring proper recognition and compensation for her work.
The recovery marks a significant step in preserving Malaysia’s cinematic heritage while also acknowledging the contributions of legendary artistes like Datuk Dr Sarimah Ahmad.
