Political comedy looks at post-9/11 Malays

A BOLD new comedy tries to find humour in the ripple effects of Sept 11 and the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) arrests on the Malay-Muslim community.

Written by provocative playwright Alfian Sa'at - the man behind political plays Cooling-Off Day and Cook A Pot Of Curry - the comedy portrays a female character by the name of Maslindah Binte Selamat. Or Mas Selamat, for short.

Many Malays, says Alfian, reacted with shock at the news of the JI arrests in 2001 - as did the rest of the country. But for some Malays, the shock led to a questioning of, and perhaps even cynicism towards, the long-held beliefs and practices of the community.