Sabri Yunus, Pok Ya Cong Codei and the artists world
FOUR years ago, no one expected a comedy drama to gain attention and popularity.
But history proves, the drama “Pok Ya Cong Codei” (PYCC) directed by Sabri Yunus was well received and mined on the lips of the community.
PYCC premiered on Astro Citra on January 20, 2018.
The main character, Pok Ya – a big man from Kelantan who came to Kuala Lumpur to carry out the task of finding the son of a Datuk who was allegedly abducted by a man – is played by Sabri himself.
In Kelantan, characters like Pok Ya do exist and even the word ‘Cong Codei’ used to be the talk of the community in the state of Cik Siti Wan Kembang a long time ago.
PYCC is contagious and popular until there are fans who produce drawings of the main character.
The collection of works by PYCC fans was later published by the National Translation & Book Institute (ITBM) under the title Pok Ya Cong Codei (Fan Art Compilation).
Not only that, there are also those who produce t-shirts with the face of PYCC for sale and subsequently owned by fans of the drama.
It’s been quite a while since a drama or movie that fans appreciated as done against PYCC. That is the advantage of PYCC, an anti -classic drama of Malaysian gangster films.
PYCC is a drama or film that is not made-up, said renowned director U-Wei HajiSaari.
PYCC is not a comedy but a drama that has a sense of humor.
Gangster films produced in the country are often more of a fabricated portrayal of the world of underworld and thugs.
U-Wei further said, through PYCC, Sabri has given a new lease of life to local dramas, at a time when many directors and producers prefer the love story and life of the rich who are not grounded in the real world.
Pok Ya is not a thug or a gangster although he is a brave man, has many followers and is highly respected and revered, but Pok Ya Cong Codei gives the true meaning of ‘ gedebe ‘ which has long been misunderstood by many.
For the director of the film “Mencari Rahmat”, Al-Jafree Md Yusop, PYCC is one of the best telefilms ever made in Malaysia.
Gedebe a term originating from Southern Thailand refers to Tok Nebe or Tok Penghulu, a figure who is highly respected and revered and able to solve many problems including fights involving gangs and other things in the surrounding area.
According to Sabri, the term gedebe only appeared in Kelantan around the 70s.
Pok Ya doesn’t talk screaming with a chinese plate and ber’lu gua ‘. Pok Ya remains with the Kelantan dialect despite being in Kuala Lumpur.
Pok Ya gedebe or gang leader, and in this drama is shown the true nature of a quiet gangster leader, no need to jump on the table to show him a gangster.
No, it’s not PYCC, it’s a childish gangster film produced by someone else in this country.
PYCC does not need all that.
Pok Ya is not a quarrelsome leg who just knows to want to rage and get angry, instead Pok Ya solves the problem.
That’s a real gedebe character , not a thug or a gangster who only knows how to fight alone or hit other people who don’t agree with him.
Pok Ya is willing to apologize when he realizes he was rude when trying to ask for help from a man with prosthetic legs.
Even through PYCC, Sabri shows the naive side of a big man in his daily life.
Pok Ya also has a noble attitude, giving money amounting to RM40,000 which should be a wage for him to others who are in trouble.
In the drama, Sabri also told the audience, no matter how great a person is, he still needs others to help in many things.
For example, Pok Ya has to wait for Halim and Sero to arrive to order food because he does not know how to use the ordering service from the hotel room.
It is through the naive side of Pok Ya that the audience will laugh, even if they do not understand the dialogue in the Kelantan accent.
PYCC also proves the main character doesn’t necessarily have to be handed over to a young and handsome actor alone.
PYCC also not only sees a big man but also raises the culture of the Kelantan community in a more authentic way.
Pok Ya is also described as a principled figure and very committed to the agreed task.
According to Sabri, Pok Ya is a combination of six characters or individuals who have been known. All six individuals are gedebe that Sabri has known.
But the name Pok Ya Sabri is a dedication to an old friend who has returned to God’s grace. Sabri said, this friend brought him to the world of western dikir.
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BORN in 1961 in Kampung Landak, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan. Third child of seven siblings.
Her father is a Tok Penghulu and also a barber, while her mother is a full -time housewife.
Sabri grew up and went to school in Kelantan before deciding to migrate to Kuala Lumpur after getting a job offer at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).
Sabri is also very interested in cultural arts, especially from Kelantan. The art of dikir barat, for example, is very close to Sabri even though he became a tok jogho dikir barat after migrating to Kuala Lumpur.
Not only the art and culture of Kelantan, Sabri understands the culture of the Malays; understand the problems and attitudes of the Malays. That is why each of his works has its own touch.
At DBP, Sabri was given the job as a graphic designer. Migrating to Kuala Lumpur and working at DBP opened up opportunities for Sabri to get to know more art activists.
In DBP as well, Sabri became active in the world of theater and his talent was first detected when he was given the role of Pak Hasan Muda or Tok Selampit through the theater “The Last Days of an Artist” directed by Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar.
True artists whose works are always close to the community. Similarly, Sabri, his works, whether through films or dramas often touch on stories around the community.
U-Wei considers Sabri to be a sensitive person (such is the attitude of an artist), who often takes small stories as big stories.
Just like PYCC, for others it is just a small story but Sabri is able to turn the small story of Pok Ya into a big story.
Able to offend the community in character and story in PYCC. Unlike other directors (not all) who take the big stories the small of their stories.
As Al-Jafree said, Sabri’s work is very close to the community. Something that is hard for us to see now because many busy artists want to be ‘other people’.
Sabri does not strive to be ‘someone else’ in his work because he realizes being himself is more meaningful to his artistic self.
As an actor, Sabri has never failed to make an impact in the character he portrays. Going back to the sitcom “Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu”, those who grew up in the era of the popular sitcom will never forget the character of Wan Ismail Golok played by Sabri.
After several years of being known as Wan Ismail Golok, wherever Sabri went, some called him Wan Ismail Golok.
In 2018, Wan Ismail Golok was forgotten, wherever Sabri went, many people called him Pok Ya as if that was his real name.
Like Wan Ismail Golok, Pok Ya is also a male character from Kelantan who has his own personality.
Seen fierce but actually easy to discuss but firm when there is already a decision that feels right.
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HOLDING four characters at once directing is not an easy job. Because it’s not easy, Sabri did it for a drama series titled “4 Abdul 1 Mohd” which aired on Astro Ria recently.
These artists are always trying to give more to the audience. For the 12-episode drama that aired on Astro Ria recently, Sabri played the characters of Abdul Jabar, Abdul Somad, Abdul Wasit and Abdul Hakim where each Abdul had a different dialect and character.
Not only holding four characters and directing, through “4 Abdul 1 Mohd” also for the first time Sabri acted as a producer with his own company Porcupine Production and collaborated with Heritage Movies.
Sabri appears as Abdul Jabar, a father who has many possessions but has never met his three children. This character Sabri uses the Kelantan dialect.
Apart from Abdul Jabar, Sabri plays the character of Abdul Somad, Abdul Jabar’s first son and uses the Terengganu dialect. Apart from Abdul Somad, Sabri also plays the character of Abdul Hakim who uses the Indonesian dialect and Abdul Wasit with the Pahang dialect.
Abdul Wasit is a sluggish person. For the character, Sabri a director has to transform himself into Abdul Wasit with the Kelantan dialect in a short period of time.
“4 Abdul and 1 Mohd” is not just a drama series that wants to highlight Sabri’s greatness as a director and holds four characters.
Like his previous dramas, “4 Abdul 1 Mohd” also touches on the stories around us, about the revenge and dishonesty of a person towards others who have helped.
Just like in the telemovie “Panjat Tujuh”, Sabri satirizes the attitude of some Malays who are willing to do things that are forbidden by religion to achieve their goals.
Through this drama, it is narrated how a young man is willing to use methods that are contrary to religion just to get the girl he likes to be his wife.
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FOUR years have passed, Sabri has prepared for the continuation of PYCC.
After PYCC, “Siti di Hati” which is a continuation of PYCC was broadcast.
The audience waited a long time to find out what happened to Pok Ya and his wife Siti who ran away.
In “PYCC Siti Di Hati”, Pok Ya marries Senah, the daughter of Mamat Kertuk – the daughter of Pok Ya’s own good friend – but the match is not long.
In Pok Ya’s mind there was still Siti, still remembering the kerabu rice cooked by Siti.
PYCC is indeed awaited by its fans. Since exploding four years ago, many are looking forward to the continuation of the PYCC.
What’s more, when Midwife Jenab told Pok Ya that it is possible that Siti has two bodies at the end of “PYCC Siti Di Hati”.
While PYCC is trending and contagious, Sabri’s popularity is also soaring that there is a Hi-Tea ceremony at the hotel for fans to see the figure who plays the role of Pok Ya up close.
Despite being charged, tickets for the event with Sabri were sold out.
This craze against PYCC is very different from other dramas. Even though Astro broadcast this drama twice, there are still those who are not satisfied with watching until there are other parties who seek profit by releasing pirated DVDs.
PYCC’s pirated DVD sales were so well -received that they sold a thousand copies in a week.
Although it is a piracy sale that should not be boasted, but for a drama that uses the Kelantan dialect, this can be said to be something that can be celebrated.
Now, after four years, Sabri is back with a 16 -episode drama “PYCC Memburu Siti” which will be screened at Astro Ria starting March 21 at 11pm.
If before, two PYCC dramas were produced by Balang Rimbun, this time for this drama series it was produced by Porcupine Production, owned by Sabri himself.
After the drama series, perhaps PYCC will attend the silver lining and theatrical staging. Only time will tell.
For sure after “PYCC Memburu Siti”, Sabri will be present with a copy of “Gadis Pasir Mas”.
And right now, Sabri is on location, directing a series titled “Not Pi Mai-Pi Mai” which features most of the actors of the once popular sitcom “Pi Mai- Pi Mai Tang Tu”.
source – Irwan Muhammad Zain
